Deadline
by Gina281087
Summary: Danny's going through the worst two days of his life. DannyOC  Please R&R COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1: A disturbing phone call

**Deadline**

**Disclaimer****: I do not own any of Without a Trace characters.**

**Note****: This fic is initially written in French, which is my mother tongue, and it is unbetaed. I hope you will understand all the same, despite of the mistakes. **

_6h00. a.m._

Danny massaged his neck smiling, his mind filled with nice daydreaming thoughts. The slight jolt of the elevator made him understand that he had reached the MPU floor and in the same time brought him back to reality. The elevator doors opened and he headed slowly towards the bullpen where Martin was waiting for him.

"Hi bro! " he greeted him cheerfully.

"Morning Danny, late night last night?" Martin replied laughing.

Danny shot him a meaningful look, smiled and sat down on the edge of his desk. It had been a week now since Kate, his girlfriend, had moved into his apartment.

"So tell me, how are things with Kate?"

"Things are good man. We're still maybe a little awkward sometimes. We need time to, you know, get our bearings. But it's great, she's...I mean, I'm happy," Danny told him with a large grin.

"I see that! I'm glad for you, you deserve it."

"Thanks. What about you? Nobody since your split with Sam?

"Eeh you know how it works...I met some girls but nothing serious," Martin shrugged.

"I see, but if you want, my neighbour is looking for a nice and responsible man. I can phone her and tell her you're interested. Alright, she's 50 years old but..." he laughed as Martin cut him off with a friendly little tap.They kept talking about their respective love affairs during a few minutes and then focused on their new case. A young woman called Emily McNamara had been missing after spending the night in a dancing.

"Apparently somebody grabbed her and pushed her into a red pick-up. NYPD called us on the spot. Jack and Sam are on the scene and Viv is on the way to talk to her parents," Martin briefed Danny.

"Why did she get abducted so early?" he said stifling a yawn.

"Don't complain, Jack called me before you."

"What do we know about her?"

"Her parents are rich... fabulously rich. Her father runs a big property company and her mother is Eva Mariah Lange!" Martin answered emphasizing the name of the mother.

"Eva..you mean _The Eva Mariah Lange_?"

"Herself. Since when have you been interested in celebs?" Martin laughed.

"Hey everybody, at least everybody in New York City knows who she is. The press nicknames her 'The Tornado Eva' "

Martin smiled picturing Danny buried in a society magazine. He was not really this kind of guy. But he was right: Eva Mariah Lange was incredibly famous in the city. At his father's death, a rich industrialist, she had inherited of his fortune and had managed her wealth with a firm hand and a bright mind to become one of the richiest and most powerful women of the state of New York. She always achieved her aims and she was very generous, that's why people respected and liked her so much. If her only daughter was missing, the reason seemed obvious. A ransom. Danny raked a hand through his unruly tufts and settled down in front of his computer. " So who are you, really Emily?" he said tapping on the keyboard. The two agents spent the morning delving into her life and found out that she was in with a bad crowd. She dated a second-year student who had as extra activity the sale and purchase of illicit substances. He owed a gang a big sum of money and, when the McNamara received a ransom demand, all the suspicion fell on him. However it turned out quickly that he had nothing to do with Emily's disappearance and they had to refocus the investigation on other suspects. Unfortunately there were plenty of them considering Emily's parents' wealth. Anybody could have kidnapped her and asked millions of dollars for her release. It was an easy target. She hung around seedy places at night and refused to be protected by bodyguards.

As Emily's father was home with Jack, her mother came in the Federal Plaza. She really needed a change of air, she could no longer stand the wait.

"She wants to have the same life as her friends', she wants to be normal, you see... I should have persuaded her to be with a bodyguard when she goes out at night. I haven't been able to-to-to protect her and now look what happened, " Eva said crying her eyes out.

"Mrs. Lange, this is not your fault," Danny replied gently giving her a handkerchief, "your daughter is of age and you can't protect her from everything. You are rich and influential, which exposes her to some dangers, but you're not responsible for those."

He looked at her carefully. She was completely different from the woman he used to see in the magazines. "The Tornado Eva" had just showed her biggest weakness: her daughter. She loved her undeniably and knowing she was in danger drove her mad .

"I know it's not easy ma'am but you have to stay strong for her," Danny went on, "we have proof that she's still alive and the FBI is used to dealing with this kind of situation. You have to keep faith, we're gonna find your daughter."

"I trust you and whatever they ask us for her release, we will pay. I'd give everything I have just to see her face again. She's my little...my-my-my..."

She was unable to finish her sentence as she started sobbing again. Danny rubbed her back gently and then left her alone for awhile. Just the time for her to calm down. It was a broken mother, broken by her child's absence. He headed towards Martin's desk. Frowning, he seemed fascinated by something on his computer screen.

"Something interesting?" Danny asked leaning over him.

"Looks like, indeed. Do you see this guy?" Martin answered.

"Yep, who's this?"

"The former McNamara's gardener and guess what?, he got a record."

"They fired him?"

"Yes, seven months ago. They had caught him stealing their silverware."

"You got his address?"

"Yeah, Jack is in the surroundings. He's bringing him in."

_2:00 p.m._

Jack and Sam took Tyler Waits, the former gardener, to the interview room. Samantha sat down in front of him while Jack was standing with an impassive face.

"So, tell me, Mr. Waits, since when have you known the McNamara's?" she asked.

"I worked for 'em during two years"

"And you were dismissed for stealing in their..."

"They lied! They never were able to prove my guilt," he cut her off with angry voice, "but you can't fight against those people. You know how it works, the rich rule this world. They don't give a damn about guys like me, I was just an innocent victim."

"An innocent victim with a very, very long record," Sam replied looking him straight in the eye.

"Youthful indiscretions" he looked away.

"And, of course, you didn't talk to your employers about those..."

"Coz you truly believe they would've let me work for them with such a record?" he laughed bitterly, " I considered I deserved a second chance, that's all" he added.

"Or rather, it would be a sixth or a seventh chance," Jack said, "You haven't wasted your time these last years: thefts, fraud, blackmail..."

"Hey! I have paid my debt to society, I'm clean, so give me a break!!"

"I'd like to believe you, but you tends to reoffend. "Jack said stepping forward, "Is the expression 'Learning from one's mistakes' vaguely familiar to you?" he added with a little smirk.

"Why am I here?"

"You really have no idea?" Sam told him.

"It's for Emily's kidnapping, isn't it? It's all over the news. I know what you think but I have nothing to do with that" Tyler replied blinking nervously.

"Where were you last night between 4 and 6?" Jack asked.

"In my bed, sleeping peacefully is that alright!" he answered aggressively but his eyes lied.

Martin was watching the questioning through the two-way mirror. Jack knew that Tyler was guilty. Martin could read it on his boss's face but for the time being they hadn't enough proofs to confound him, moreover he had asked a lawyer.

_3:00 p.m._

Tyler Wait's lawyer had arrived and had spoken to his client. The ransom was scheduled to be delivered at 8:00 p.m. Lucky for them, Tyler Waits wasn't really gifted in kidnappings and they found quickly the proofs they needed. He had used his own pick-up to abduct Emily. He also had an accomplice and in order to improve his situation, he didn't wait to be asked twice before giving him away. Jack and Danny took their coats and drove fastly towards the building where Emily was detained. They unholstered their guns, broke down the door and ordered the accomplice to kneel down and cross his fingers behind his head. As Jack cuffed him, Danny headed towards a little room. There she was, gagged, her hands bound to the heater. Danny set her free and she threw herself into his arms crying and shaking. He held her protectively and waited for her to calm down. He then wrapped his coat around her frail shoulders and they got out of the apartment.

Mr. McNamara had joined his wife and they waited impatiently for their daughter to come back. When they saw her, a smile lit up their face and they ran to take her in their arms. Danny smiled, glad that this case had a happy ending. He knew it was not often the case. As he was headed towards his desk, he heard someone hailing him.

"Agent Taylor?"

"Yes?" he turned round.

"Thanks so much, I was right to trust you," Eva Mariah Lange said truthfully.

"You're welcome, ma'am."

"Call me Eva"

"Alright Eva. This way I'll pride myself of knowing a celebrity," he grinned as she smiled back at him. It was a good day in the end. At least, that's what he thought...

The team spent the rest of the day doing paperwork. There were lots of reports to complete and Jack had to talk to the press about the kidnapping. Danny went home in the evening.

"Kate, are you there?" he said hanging his coat on the coat rack.

Silence. She was probably still at work. Entering the kitchen he noticed she had left a note on the fridge.

_Hey Danny, you left early this morning. I could have used a kiss (or maybe more) before going to work._

_Longing to be tonight, I already miss you. Hope you had a great day at work._

_Love you._

_K._

He smiled and went to the bathroom to take a long and relaxing shower. As he came back in the living room with bare feet and wet hair, he heard his telephone ringing. He picked it up.

"Danny Taylor?"a strange voice said.

"Yes?"

"At last, you're back"

"Yeah, who's this?" Danny replied puzzled.

"Can you tell me what time is it?"

"7:45 why?" he answered frowning.

He then heard a loud banging, like a metal door being shut.

"In two days, same time, your girlfriend will be dead."

TBC?


	2. Chapter 2: Frank

Thank you for the ones who left a review...

**Chapter 2**

_7:46 p.m._

Danny remained silent for a few seconds, shocked by what he had heard. He rubbed his face nervously and ended up replying.

"What are you talking about? Is that a joke or something? Where is Kate?" he said, unable to hide the frantic tone of his voice.

"Mmmh Kate is with me, I can't promise you that she's safe, but at least, she's alive," the voice told him.

Danny took his cell phone and dialled Kate's number. After two beeps, someone picked it up.

"Me again!" the voice laughed, "I hope you believe me now..."

Danny hung up his cell with rage and went back to the conversation. "You touch her and I'll break your neck, you s..."

"Calm down Danny, calm down" the voice replied calmly, "I call you Danny given that you and me are going to be very close persons for these next two days. You can call me Frank. This is not my real name, naturally but if I obliged you to call me 'Sir', you may be think I'm sadistic" he laughed spitefully.

Danny clenched his jaw, trying to stay calm. The sugary tone of Frank's voice really got on his nerves.

"Ok, let's move on to more serious matters," Frank began but Danny cut him off. "I wanna talk to Kate."

"I'm terribly sorry but it's impossible," Frank replied, "and it upsets me not to be able to please you and put her through because you probably will never hear her sweet voice again."

Danny closed his eyes before replying. "I want to talk to her RIGHT NOW!"

"There is no need to shout! I told you it was impossible. Kate is sleeping peacefully for the moment. She is really gorgeous, you have good taste in women, Danny. I have a question for you: do you know the biggest fear of Kate?" As Danny didn't answer, he went on. "You know, I watched her during a long time and I noticed she suffered from claustrophobia. The poor girl, it must be awful for her...So I assume that being locked underground would scare her to death, right?

"What did you do to her, you little bastard?!" Danny yelled at him.

"Danny, Danny, you disappoint me" Frank said very calmly, with perceptible amusement in his voice, "I really thought we had a civilized conversation. Be careful, you could make me angry. Well, it looks like you have some questions to ask, which I find justified considering the situation. I'm going to do my best to explain my brilliant plan and admittedly it's brilliant, you will see!

Danny couldn't hold out any longer. He would've wanted to smash his face in.

"First, I need you to listen to me. Can you do that? Danny? Danny!!" Frank spoke up.

"I'm listening" Danny replied clutching the handset.

"Alright. Rule #1: no police and of course, no FBI. I know procedure requires you to dial our dear Jack Malone's number, but it wouldn't be good for Kate, trust me. Tomorrow, I want you to go to work as if nothing had happened, is that understood?

"Yes" Danny lowered his voice.

"Good. Rule #2: I want you to follow my instructions very carefully. I need you to do something for me, something you won't like to do but if you really love you girlfriend, I'm confident that you'll do the right thing.

"What's it about?" Danny swallowed hard.

"Everything in time. Have you understood those two rules?"

"Yes I have. Now tell me, what have you done with Kate?"

"Ok. After all, you tried to stay calm, I think you deserve to know" Frank said "Kate is locked in a room underground. This room is totally airtight, which means that without the device I installed, air will be lacking quickly. Hopefully, thanks to me, she has enough air to live 48 hours. I shut the airlock at 7:45, so in two days, about the same time, the woman who shares your life will start suffocating." Frank told him with a laugh in his throat.

Danny had to sit down as his knees gave way beneath him. He looked all around him: everything seemed unreal. It was the worst scenario he could have imagined. He suddenly couldn't breathe easy.

"I put some magazines in the room and there is an armchair. There is also a toilet, at least a kind of...I didn't want you to think I'm a monster" Frank laughed again. "I have to tell you, Danny, that since I started watching her, I've found Kate nicer and nicer. I'm sorry she has to go through this but if you do what I want, she'll be safe... well maybe."

"Why? Why are you doin' this?" Danny asked. He didn't understand what was happening to him.

"Let's not go into this. You won't understand anyway. You must obey me, that's all you need to know. I'll phone you back, good night Danny."

_7:52 p.m._

Silence. Five minutes had passed. This could have seemed derisory for anybody else but for Danny, this period of time was important now. He looked at the clock with a horrified expression. Time seemed to go by incredibly fast. He realized he still held the handset in his hand. He hung up the phone and started pacing up and down in his apartment. He needed to focus but it was impossible. His mind was filled with atrocious images ans unanswered questions. Was Kate really alive? Who was Frank? What did he hold against him? What was this thing he had to do? What if Frank killed her anyway? Would he be able to save her? With his hand, he pushed aside the content of the coffe table and the vase put on was smashed in smithereens.

"Dammit!"

He sat down on a armrest of the sofa, trying to get a grip on himself. His instinct told him to call Jack but he couldn't bring himself to. A lunatic detained Kate and threatened to kill her if Danny didn't play his perverted game according to the rules. He looked all around the apartment. There was no sign of struggle. "She probably haven't been abducted here. Maybe at the building entrance or the subway exit" he thought. He hated when Kate took the subway alone in the dark but, given that she had no car and traffic jam in NYC was dreadful, she didn't have a choice. It was real torture for her considering her fear of enclosed places. Danny's breathing quickened as his heart was still pounding. He had to do something, he had to find a way to get out of this situation. His attention was drawn to the answering machine. Four messages were displayed and he listened to them. The first one came from Kate who told him she was gonna get home about 6:30. His heart stopped beating a few seconds when he heard her sweet and warm voice. The last three ones were empty. He was sure that they came from Frank.

_8:09 p.m._

Time went by. Inevitably.

_8:10 p.m._

Danny got up, got dressed, took his keys and his coat and went out. He drove towards the subway station, nearby his apartment. He got out of the car and started to watch the surroundings. He didn't know what he was looking for, but he absolutely needed to find something. There were still a lot of people in the streets and small groups of persons were walking out of the station at irregular intervals. He knew that, when Kate took the subway, she used to head home by an alleyway that makes a short cut. Danny had already told her it wasn't advisable but she was as stubborn as him. He then ventured into the alleyway that was dimly lit. He noticed quickly an objet on the ground. A collar. He squatted down and took it. It was hers, Danny had offered it to her for her birthday.

"Oh Kate..." he murmured.

He stood up and put the collar into his pocket. An old homless guy was sat down nearby, trying to repair his shoe with a piece of adhesive. Danny stepped towards him and flashed his badge.

"Good evening sir, my name's Danny Taylor, I'm with the FBI..." Danny began.

"I don't know anything, I can't help ya" the old man replied on a sullen tone.

"Please sir, it's really important. I'm investigating on a disappearance. Have you ever seen this woman?"

He showed him the photo he had constantly in his wallet. Kate was smiling, as usual. The old man looked at the picture carefully as a grin played over his lips.

"Miss Kate? Of course I've already seen her. I often see her. She's such an angel, she always have a kind word for me...and she brings me some food. She even tried to find me a home for homeless people but I don't like this kind of places. I need my freedom, you see? You said she's missing?" he asked Danny frowning.

"Yes, this very evening...about 6:30. She's been abducted. Have noticed anything?"

"Oh my God! Abducted! Nope I didn't see her, I was looking for my little cat who had run away. If I had been there, I would've defended her. She's so nice...Who did this to her?"

"I don't know yet, I'm trying to figure out what happened" Danny replied.

"Nobody could help you. It's a deserted place. Buildings here have been unoccupied for years now..."

Danny sighed in despair. Unfortunately the old man was right, he wouldn't find many witnesses around here. In this season, night fell quickly and people hurried to get home because of the cold. He thanked the tramp and looked at his watch.

_8:47_


	3. Chapter 3: Two hours beforehand

Thanks for the reviews, they're always welcome

**Chapter 3**

_Two hours beforehand… _

_Kate closed her eyes for awhile. She pictured herself on a beach with the ocean stretching interminably before her eyes. Her doctor had recommended this relaxation technique when she felt suffocated, which was the case right now. People hurried up and jostled each other to enter the subway car and they invaded Kate's space. She took a deep breath, trying to ease her anguish. Kate suffered a lot from being claustrophobic and she dreamed of the day when she could take the subway without fear of feeling faint. _

_You're on the beach, you're relaxed, you hear the noise of the waves...You can breathe easy, there's nothing around you...You're at the mountain, the landscape is wonderful, there's much space...Raaaa it doesn't work! Get a grip Kate! You're on the beach..._

_But no matter how much she tried, she was unable to calm down. Her breathing became halting as she had hot flashes. Her hands started shaking and she did her best to control them. A fat man entered the car and pushed her against the wall. Her legs trembled as she saw space become narrower._

_No anxiety attack now Kate, please...Control yourself!_

_She closed her eyes again, attempting to focus on something nice that would make her feel safe. Danny. Soon she'd be in his arms. She just needed to hold on a bit longer, she was almost home. She thought of his eyes, his strong jawline, his hands, his body...Kate managed to chill out, her breathing getting little by little back to normal. She caught herself smiling as she thought of the evening they were gonna spend together. She was happy with him, really happy. A little bump made her jump and she opened her eyes quickly. It was her station, at last she could go out and take some fresh air._

_¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨_

_He had been waiting for a while, comfortably sat in his car. She wouldn't be long now. He had watched her comings and goings for these last two months and he knew she used to venture into this dark alleyway. He looked at the backseat with a contrite look._

_"Am sorry pussycat, but I didn't have much of a choice" he said._

_He shook his head. He didn't like killing animals but at the time it had seemed to him that it was a good idea. The cat didn't stop meowing and he risked being spotted. "At least, that will keep the old tramp busy" he thought afer he had strucked the cat's head with a jack. He'd get rid of the corpse later. Later._

_Peering into the falling night , he rubbed his hands numb with cold in order to warm them up. Then he saw her, walking quickly towards him. He could feel the tension and excitement rising in his stomach with every step she took. His plan could at last be carried out. He took the small bottle next to him and got out of the car softly._

_¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ _

_Danny rubbed his eyes, bored with paperwork. He knew it was part of the job, however he always prefered the field. He already missed the action, unaware that soon he'd pray to get those peaceful moments back._

_Meanwhile, in his office, Jack relaxed a little. He had finished the press conference and he had still some little things to do. The case had ended up quickly and easily. It was a good day and nevertheless he was frowning. Something was gonna happen, he knew it deep inside._

_¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ _

_Kate was shivering. The weatherman had forecast 17.6 °F but it certainly was colder. "Global warming, global warming, don't make me laugh!" she thought as she tightened her coat. She was worried about Max, the nice old man she usually saw when she went back home. In this weather he risked to freeze to death. But, despite of Kate's insistence, he had always refused to go to a homeless home. She had told herself at that time that he was as stubborn as Danny and that they would doubtlessly get along._

_She vaguely heard a door being shut. It was quite surprising given that the neighborhood was pratically deserted. The old buildings were gonna be destroyed soon. Kate didn't know why but she felt insecure. She felt a kind of presence. She looked all around her, hoping to see Max but for once she couldn't find him. Unconsciously, she started to walk faster as her pulse quickened. Danny was right, the path she took was unsafe but till now she had never felt such fear. Going through her pockets, she looked for something likely to be used as a weapon, feeling nevertheless a bit ridiculous at that idea._

_Events occured then really quickly. A hand pressed against her mouth as the other one held her with a strong grasp. Kate tried to struggle but her assailant was a lot stronger than her. She smelt an odd smell as her head started to swim and her strength failed her. She tried to stay conscious but her view blurred and everything went black._

_¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨ _

_It was easier than he had thought. He took her in his arms and headed towards his car. Putting Kate on the floor, he opened the trunk. He looked at her for awhile and then talked to her, even if she was unable to answer him._

_"I'm sure you would rather be unconscious. I heard you were afraid of enclosed places."_

_He then bent down and put her delicately in the trunk. It was a very beautiful woman and he couldn't help caressing her face. The hatred he felt towards Danny became even stronger, wondering why someone like him had the chance to share her life. She was just supposed to act as a pawn in his Machiavellian plan, but since he watched her comings and goings, he had begun to feel some feelings towards her. An attraction he couldn't control. But he had to concentrate, many things were left to do. He shut the trunk, went round the car and settled down behind the wheel._

_"You see, pussycat, it was easy. Part one finished."_

_The dead cat didn't answer._

_¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨ _

Danny decided to come back to his apartment in case Frank called him back. There was nothing he could do right now, especially without the team by his side. He knew he had to tell Jack but he was afraid that this lunatic hurt Kate as reprisals. He took his head between his hands, thinking about what he was going to do. He got back into his car and drove towards his apartment. There were two messages on the answering machine and he hastened to listen to them. But like the previous time, not a word was said. He just heard the "click" when the person had hung up. However, the phone rang back very quickly. Danny picked it up, gritting his teeth as 'Frank' started talking.

"Have you been gone Danny? I couldn't reach you, I was worried," he said.

"Put me through to Kate," Danny replied very coldly.

"But where is your courtesy Danny?"

"I really don't enjoy this kind of games, Frank"

"Oh what a shame for you! I have a wonderful time...and as I already said, I can't connect you to her right now. I hope you didn't call Jack Malone, otherwise I could get angry and I'm sure it's not what you want"

"I didn't"

"Good. Just in case you couldn't resist the temptation and you'd dial his number, I left you a little something to prevent you from doing this mistake. When this converstation is over, come down into the hall, there's a box for you. You should be interested in its content."

"You're crazy, you know that?" Danny yelled at him.

"Calm down, calm down," Frank laughed, "do you know I devised this plan for you? You should be honoured... well let's return to the motive of my call. I just wanted to let you know that I won't phone you here from now on. You'll hear from me of another way."

"Listen, I don't know what I did to you, but Kate has nothing to do with it. Let's settle this between the two of us, she's innocent..."

"There's no innocent person in a war, Danny. But I admit it would be a pity to kill someone so beautiful. I'll call you back."

And he hung up. Danny shook his head...this man was totally mad. He then came down into the hall and saw the little box. He hesitated for awhile before opening it, dreading its content. Eventually he pull the cardboard flaps apart and gasped.

"Oh Jesus," Danny said with shaking voice.

The cat.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Danny got out and threw the dead cat in the Dumpster near the building. He had difficulty breathing and he felt more and more powerless. He couldn't think rationally as fear was taking possession of his body. Danny knew he had to calm down one way or another, it was the only way to save Kate. He came back into his apartment, put on a suit and got out again. He took his car and drove away.

_9:49 p.m._

Kate wasn't awake yet.

_10:14 p.m._

When he reached the Federal Plaza, Danny sighed, hoping that Jack had already headed home.

Since the miscarriage and his split with Anne, he stayed even later at work, his office had become a second home. Danny understood perfectly his reaction, he had himself often thrown wholeheartedly into work to escape from his personal life. Then he had met Kate and she had changed everything.

He parked the car and entered the impressive building. He walked fastly on the FBI seal and after being identified by his smart card, he took the elevator and went up to the MPU floor. Crossing the hall, he noticed that lights were shut off in his boss' office. He had most probably already gone. From one hand he was relieved not to have to explain himself to Jack but on the other hand he felt very lonely. He turned the lights on in the bullpen and started his computer up. Night was gonna be long. Or too short...

_10:35 p.m._

45 hours and 10 minutes were left before Kate began suffocating.

Danny started looking for the persons likely to bear a grudge against him. Unfortunately for him, the list of suspects was long. He took their files and went over with a fine-tooth comb. He stared for awhile at the frame put next to his screen. The picture had been taken two months beforehand, in Kate's former apartment. He then thought again about the first time they met.

¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨¨¨

_A year earlier..._

_Danny rushed to catch the elevator. He had to ask some questions to a witness who worked on the tenth floor. With his hand he prevented the doors from closing and entered the elevator cabin. He greeted kindly the woman who stood there and pushed the button. The elevator lifted off and he leant back nonchalantly against the wall. The woman in front of him was really pretty and he couldn't help smiling at her. She smiled back at him but she looked rather uncomfortable. Frowning, she was playing nervously with her silver ring._

"Are you okay miss?" Danny asked "I don't wanna be inquisitive but you seem..." 

_"I don't like elevators, that's all. It's nothing," she cut him off._

_"Which floor are you going to?"_

_"The 15__th__"_

_"There are still eight floors, it's gonna be ok"_

_"If you say so..." she said, obviously not convinced._

_She had only just finished her sentence when they felt a hard bump followed by a loud noise._

_"What the hell was that?" the woman almost shouted._

_"A breakdown, quite obviously..."_

_He took the emergency telephone and explained they were stuck in the elevator cabin. He then hung up the handset and turned round._

_"We will be sent a technician as soon as possible. It shouldn't take more than half an hour before he manages to..."_

_But he didn't finish his sentence when he saw that the woman was in a terrible state. She was looking all around her with a scared expression and she gasped for breaths. _

_"Are you alright?" Danny asked worried._

_"No.. w-we're gonna lack air...it's too small h-h-here...there isn't enough space...I-I-I..."she started stammering._

_He came up to her and put kindly a hand on her face. His last two fingers touched her carotid and he could feel how fast her heart was beating._

_"Look at me, look at me. That's it, good...What's your name?"_

_"K-Kate," she answered._

_"Ok Kate, I'm Danny. You will sit down and try to relax."_

_Her whole body was shaking so he helped her to sit down on the floor and squatted down in front of her. He took her hands in his and talked to her gently, trying to calm her down._

_"Now close your eyes and breathe with me. Breathe in with your nose and breathe out with your mouth. Easy, deep breaths. That's good, continue...With me, breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out..."_

_She began to relax and her breathing got almost back to normal. However she was still clutching Danny's hands very tightly. She then opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was his reassuring face._

_"Are you feelin' better?" _

_"A little"_

_"They will soon get us out of this place and I promise you air won't be lacking till then," he told her._

_"I know it. But I-I can't help it. I f-f-felt as if..."_

_"Shhh, shhh, calm down, focus on your breathing."_

_She swallowed hard, closed her eyes again and tried to do what Danny had told her. She then let go of his hands and he sat down next to her._

_"You must find me ridiculous, huh?" she said, eyes still closed._

_"No, not at all. If you suffer from claustrophia, it's normal that this kind of situation makes you panic..."_

_"What do you do for a living, Danny?" _

_"I'm a federal agent"_

_"Funny, but seriously..." she laughed._

_"I'm being serious, I really work for the FBI"_

_He handed her his badge. She opened her eyes, looked at it and smiled._

_"I know, it's a bad picture..." he smiled as well._

_"You should see the picture of my driver's license," she gave his badge back "so, is reassuring women in elevators part of your training?"_

_"Nope, I improvised"_

_"You're quite gifted"_

_"That's because you're brave. Don't worry Kate, it will be soon over..."_

_He had noticed her trembling hands and that her breathing had become hard again. He put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently._

_"Breathe deeply, feel the air in your lungs. That's it Kate, good..."_

"When all this is over," she said between two breaths "I'll buy you a drink to thank you" 

_"If you manage to keep calm till the technician comes, I'll buy you a drink"_

_"What if I don't?"_

_"I'll do it anyways" he smiled_

_¨¨¨ ¨¨¨ ¨¨¨_

Danny took his head in his hands. He wondered how she would react when she heard that she was locked underground. She had made a lot of progress for a year and with Danny by her side, she often managed to fight her phobia. However, this time, she was alone and she had to face her biggest fear without him.

_11:30 p.m._

He had to find something... anything. Quite obviously, this Frank guy knew him well, Jack as well. He knew that Kate and Hannah were with their mother in Chicago, which reassured him a little. He then thought about Nickie and his sister. His heart jumped in his chest. This lunatic could also attack them. He picked up the phone and dialled his brother's number.

"Who's this?" a tired voice said.

"Rafi? Hi, it's Danny"

"Oh Danny, it's you...How you doin'?"

"...ehm...I'm fine. You?"

"I'm good man, been a month since I came out of prison, so I enjoy my wife and my children's presence"

"That's good," Danny said softly.

"I have never really thanked you for watching over them during my...ehm...absence, so thank you"

"Don't thank me, they're also my family now"

"And how is Kate? I got to tell you man, I really like this girl, she's great. I think you make a wonderful item"

Danny didn't reply as a lump came to his throat.

"Danny?"

"Kate is...fine"

"Danny, tell me what's going on. I know something is wrong." His tone was worried now.

"I got trouble Rafi" Danny eventually admitted.

"What kind of trouble? Can I help?"

"Look, I can't tell you anything for the moment, but I'd like you to watch over Sylvia and the kids."

"What about them?"

"Nothing should happen, but I wanna be sure you will watch over them"

"Of course I will"

"Good, good..." he whispered.

"Can I do something?"

"No, look I have to go. I'll call you back...and be careful"

"Don't do anything stupid and make a call if you need me, anytime"

"Yeah thanks..."

He hung up as a slight feeling of relief came over him. He knew Rafi was perfectly able to protect his family. "Unlike me" he thought.

_11:35 p.m._

Kate opened her eyes.


	5. Chapter 5 : At the office

**Chapter 5**

Lying on a cold floor, Kate opened her eyes slowly, a wave of nausea coming over her as she tried with difficulty to stand up. The room started spinning violently and she blinked several times to regain consciousness. She didn't know where she was, or the reason of her presence in this place. She then attempted to remember the last events but it was impossible. Her memories stopped at the subway station. Beyond that, she was unable to recall a single thing. Scared to death, her heart started pounding as she tried once again to control the nausea. Unconsciously, she looked for some windows and when she found none, her anguish increased and she took a deep breath in order to calm her down. She came staggering towards the iron door on her right but couldn't open her. Casting frightened looks all around her, Kate noticed a sheet of paper put on a little leather armchair. She took it in trembling hands and read it. Words danced before her eyes and she assumed rightly she had been chloroformed.

_Dear Kate,_

_You are detained here against your will and I am terribly sorry about that. No harm will be done to you provided your present companion follows my instructions carefully. In order that you feel more comfortable, I put some women's magazines at your disposal, they are your favorite if I am not mistaken. There is also a toilet behind the curtain. Well, it is quite uncomfortable but I didn't have the time to improve it. I am sure you won't hold it against me._

_Unfortunately, this place has no window and, having heard recently that you suffered from claustrophobia, I feel bad to put you in such a delicate situation. Nevertheless, since this room isn't too small, I am confident you could make it. You looks like a strong and determined woman, so I think there won't be too much problem. Otherwise, I apologize, I don't mean to make you suffer. Only the man you chose to share your life isn't good and, now, he is going to pay for his sins._

_I hope this stay won't be too unpleasant._

_Yours truly,_

_Frank._

Kate looked at the letter with an horrified expression. The polite and friendly tone this _Frank_ used didn't reassure her, it was just the reverse. He really looked deranged and she knew for a fact that this kind of person was uncontrollable. She sat down in the armchair, her head resting on her palms.

Chill out Kate, you're gonna be okay. There is enough air, Danny's gonna save you. Everything's gonna be alright. Relax, you're alive and unhurt...everything's gonna be alright.

She managed to relax a little, leant her head back and closed her eyes. Now began the wait, a wait that would be a lot harder if she knew her real situation.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

Frank stepped towards the antique buffet and took the whisky he kept for special occasions. He poured it into a delicately engraved crystal glass being from the set of his lamented mother. He had something to celebrate today, something he had been hatching for the last two years: his brilliant plan consisting in breaking Danny Taylor. He wanted to see this young arrogant suffer at least as much as he had suffered. He knew he'd found peace after destroying him. He was gonna watch the least movement of his fall and delight in doing this. He sipped at his whisky and could feel the heat of the alcohol fill his chest. He then sat down in his armchair and looked at the screen in front of him.

"Let's see how you're coping Kate..."

He smiled, watching her gestures and reactions carefully. With a hint of disappointment, he noticed that she didn't panic as much as he had thought she would. "It doesn't matter, she will..." he thougt. Taking another mouthful of whisky, he kept staring at her, unable to take his eyes off the screen. He was totally mesmerized by her beauty. Her features were fine; her eyes, whose color wavered between blue and green, were both penetrating and sweet; and her dark chestnut hair fell gracefully over her shoulders. It was the kind of girl who avoided him in High School, the kind of woman who dated men like Danny. Before he realized it, he had clutched his glass so tight that, soon, it shattered into a million pieces. Absent-mindedly, he looked at the fragments on the floor as some drops of blood were falling from his hand.

"Sorry Mom," he said with a scared voice, as if her mother, who had died years beforehand, could come back and tell him off.

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_6:17 a.m._

Danny had spent all night looking for something likely to save the woman he loved but in vain. He hadn't discovered anything in former cases. Surfing on the Internet, he had tried to find what Frank needed to carry such a plan out. Danny deduced that Frank was certainly rich and clever or that he had an accomplice. But he doubted it. He took a glance at his watch. He felt like his heart had stopped beating. It was already the morning, time went by fast, too fast.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

_6:34 a.m._

Jack got out of the elevator, holding a Thermos bottle in his right hand. He had been unable to sleep for two hours, so he had decided to work on some cold cases in his office. As he went past the bullpen, he noticed that lights were on. Danny was buried in a file, frowning. Puzzled, Jack headed towards him with a heavy tread.

"Still revising for your bar exam?" he teased him.

Danny jumped.

"Hey Jack...you-You already here?" he said.

"yeah, you too. What are you doin' here?" Jack replied.

"Ehm...Well...I couldn't sleep, so I came."

"Since when have you been there?"

"A hour or so..." Danny lied.

"And Kate let you go without protesting?" Jack smiled sitting on the edge of his desk.

Danny tried to hide what he was feeling inside and looked at Jack.

"Kate is-is sleeping at her best friend's house who is going through a crisis. She broke off her engagement because she's still in love with her ex-boyfriend. So she needed some advise and she called Kate"

Danny couldn't believe how fast he had been able to invent this story. He just hoped that Jack had been fooled.

"And...is everything ok with the moving in?" Jack asked. Obviously he hadn't noticed that Danny was lying.

"Oh, you know, we've been living together pratically for two months. It's just been official for a week."

"She's the one, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah I think she is..."

Danny had a lump in his throat but he tried to control himself. Jack took a file off Danny's desk.

"The Wallace case? What are you looking for in it? It's been closed for ages now..." Jack asked frowning.

"Yeah I know that. I just wanted to know if it was not connected to another case..." Danny replied.

Jack stared at Danny carefully. He really looked drawn and tense.

"You would tell me if something was wrong, wouldn't you?" Jack asked worried.

"Yeah, sure but I'm fine," Danny shrugged.

"And your brother?"

"He's coping. You should see his baby girl, Jack, she's beautiful."

"Daniella, is that right?"

"Yeah, I wonder why she'd been given that name," Danny rolled his eyes.

"And you're her godfather!"

"Yes, I'm lucky. I got the most wonderful goddaughter in the world. And it's an Alvarez, I mean when you look at her ears..." he managed to smile.

Jack laughed thinking that, after all, Danny was ok. There was no need to be worried.

"You look exhausted, have a break and grab some coffee, alright?" Jack said kindly.

"Yeah...yeah I will"

Jack smiled at him and then stood up and headed towards his office, ready for another day's work. Jack's presence reassured Danny a little. Even if he didn't always manage to confide in his boss, he trusted him completely. He watched him walking away. He wanted to tell him so bad...

"Jack?" he called him.

"Yes?" Jack turned round.

"Ehm...how...how are your daughters?"

"Fine. Kate gets on her sister's nerves a bit because she doesn't stop priding herself on having the same name as your girlfriend. What can you do? That's the way it is...You're still their first love," he smiled.

"Yeah I see that..." Danny smiled slightly "They're still in Chicago?"

"Yes, I'll see them next weekend. Why?"

"No reason," he shrugged.

Jack didn't push. A hour later, all the team was there. After a little chat, everyone settled down behind their computer. There was no new case for the moment so they devoted their time to doing paperwork and in the same time, started conversing cheerfully, unaware that next to them, their friend and colleague was waiting for Frank's call.

However, they noticed very quickly that Danny was acting weird. He seemed really nervous, drumming his fingers on the armrest. They gave each other a questioning look but no one knew what was going on. Danny didn't open up easily and they knew it was pointless to ask him what was wrong, if he wasn't ready to talk, he wouldn't do it. Nevertheless, as they were worried, Viv decided to talk to him. She practically thought of Danny as his son.

"Hey..." she said, stepping towards his desk.

"Hi Viv, already bored with paperwork?" Danny said with detachment.

"Well, I know some things more exciting. But, listen, to be honest, you don't seem fine and I came to see if maybe I could help."

Danny smiled trying to reassure her.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. I'm just a bit tired, had a bad night, that's all," he replied looking at her.

"You know where my desk is huh?" she put a hand on his shoulder.

She knew Danny wasn't telling the truth, but it was Danny...

"Of course, but everything's alright"

It was killing him inside to answer that.

"Vivian?"

"Mmh mmh?"

"How are Reggie and Marcus?" he asked.

"They're good. Reggie went on a shool ski trip and Marcus is attempting a conference in Atlanta. He's flying back tomorrow."

"Have you talked to them?"

"Yes. Reggie is having a great time over there but Marcus is bored stiff. Why?" She asked puzzled.

"I just wanted to know that they're fine. You have a wonderful family."

"Indeed. I'm lucky. You know, I am sure Kate would be a perfect Mommy. As for you, I can really picture you with a kid..."

Danny looked down wondering when he was gonna crack up.

"Danny?" Vivian frowned.

"I'd be glad to be a father" he smiled slightly "but Kate has just moved in and...

_She's detained by a lunatic..._

...and we're not even married. I know, you can make babies without a ring around your finger, but if I have a child, I want him to have a normal family, you see?"

"Yeah I understand. Especially considering..."

"My past?" he finished her sentence.

"Yes," she said softly "so, you're going to propose her?" she smiled.

Danny felt his eyes stinging as tears threatened to fall. He had been thinking seriously of getting married for awhile now but presenty, he might lose Kate forever. He attempted to smile, holding back his tears.

"Who knows?"

They kept doing paperwork during about a quarter when Jack told her they had a new case.

"Evelyn Nilson, 29, personal assistant, 14 hours missing. She had to join her sister at 5 a.m. to go to New Jersey but she never came. His sister couldn't reach her so, worried, she called NYPD. Apparently, nobody has seen her since she left work at about 6 p.m.," Jack briefed them.

"Like Kate" Danny thought.

"Alright, Martin, drop in at her work; Viv, Sam, go to her apartment, see what you can find out. Danny, look at her bank statements, telephone bills... I want to know everything about her. Her sister is in my office, I'm gonna talk to her."

The three agents took their coats and left as Danny stayed in front of his screen. He usually prefered the field, but this time, staying at the office suited him. If Frank got in touch with him, he would do it via e-mail or his cell phone and he wanted to be at the office when it would happen. Till then, he tried to focus on the case and started delving into Evelyn Nilson's life.

_8:41 a.m._

Danny was looking at Evelyn's telephone bills when he received two e-mails. His heart pounding, he opened the first one that contained some pictures of Kate, taken by a high-definition video camera. She seemed unhurt but fear could be read in her look. Danny stared at her, rubbing nervously his face. He would have wanted to hold her in his arms, to protect her, to tell her it was nothing but a bad dream but it was impossible. When he managed to take his eyes off Kate's pictures, he opened the second mail. There was only a simple sentence. A simple sentence that scared Danny to death.

KILL HIM OR SHE'S DEAD .

He downloaded the attached files to know who was it about. When he saw the photo, his heart jumped in his chest. He had no other choice, he had to tell Jack.


	6. Chapter 6: The emails

_I don't know why, but I don't really like this chapter. I hope you'll like it all the same. Thank you for the reviews you left me..._

**Chapter 6**

Danny got up from his chair and headed towards Jack's office. He was wondering how he could explain him the situation. Raking a hand through his hair, he hesitated for a while, then knocked at the glass door and came in. Jack lifted up his head, waiting for Danny to give him the last news about Evelyn Nilson.

"So, tell me, something interesting?" Jack asked.

"She...she phoned her sister shortly before she left work. She certainly told you..." Danny answered his boss.

"Yeah, they're pretty close, her sister is worried sick."

"It was her last call. Last week, she often called the same number, a Paul Downey. He has no record, I've just checked it. As for her bank statements, there's nothing special. She's not rich but she's thrifty. She got no criminal record, only two fines, that's all..."

"What about her parents?"

"Divorced. Her mother remarried and moved to Florida where she lives with her new husband. Her father lives in New Jersey."

"Yeah, I know, they both were going to pay him a visit. Nothing more?"

"Nope, maybe the others will be more lucky"

"OK."

Jack frowned when he saw Danny looking down and playing nervously with his feet.

"Danny, what if you told me what's going on? Something is wrong, it's obvious"

"Ehm...it's...ehm..." Danny stammered.

"Your brother called me, I was really surprised. He asked me if you had problems at work, he was worried about you and so do I. What's the matter?

"Kate's been abducted" Danny whispered.

"What??"

"I should have told you earlier, I know but..." Danny kept his head down.

"You-You-You should have told me earlier?? What were you thinking? You know the procedure, you know the first hours are the most important!" Jack stood up, raising his voice.

"I was scared Jack! And I still am..."

"Sit down and tell me everything," Jack said with a severe tone.

Danny sat down and told his boss what had happened. Jack kept silent, analyzing the situation. As for Danny, he was rubbing his face nervously.

"I panicked, I really panicked. This Frank guy locked Kate and will let her suffocate. You know what she will have to endure?"

"Oh Danny...what did he ask you to do in exchange for her life?" Jack asked him.

Danny didn't answer, it was not easy to tell...

"We've already lost too much time!" Jack said with an authoritarian tone.

"I must...I must kill Victor Fitzgerald"

"You're going to do it?"

"Jack!" Danny exclaimed.

"What Jack? You seemed ready to go it alone..."

"You can't blame me for acting like anybody" Danny stood up.

"You're an FBI agent, Danny, you're not anyb..."

"Yes I am!" Danny cut him off "I can't bear everything, I can't control everything, I got weaknesses and this guy knows how to hurt me. I lost many people in my life Jack, my parents, some friends and I almost lost Rafi. I couldn't bear to lose her aswell, so yes I panicked, I lost my head but she's the most important thing in my life. And every second that goes by, I tell myself there is less and less time left. The time pressure is unbearable, you can't imagine. He told me he would take his revenge if I told you anything so..."

"Ok, Danny, calm down" Jack said calmly.

"Don't ask me that, Jack, I can't. He's crazy, he's totally nuts, you should hear him talk, I mean..." Danny replied.

"I asbsolutely need you to concentrate. What can you tell me about him? Did you recognize his voice, has he got an accent? Anything we could use?"

"I've never heard his voice before, no characteristic accent, he must be about forty, I dunno...He's self-confident, egocentric, cultured and intelligent...I can't tell anything more."

"Yeah well, it's not much but it's a beginning" Jack sighed.  
"He knows me and you too Jack"

"I understand now why you dusted off the old files"

"Yeah I spent all night reading 'em. I couldn't read everything but so far I've found nothing. It's 8:54 Jack, it's 8:54..." Danny said looking at his watch.

Jack gazed at Danny during a moment. He seemed totally obsessed with his watch dial and Jack realized that he was going through a living hell. If he found himself in the same situation, with her daughters in danger, he wondered how he could hold on.

"Ok Danny, here's what we're gonna do...Van Doren won't certainly let us work on Kate's disappearance. So, we're not gonna tell her for the moment. There are a day and some hours left to find who this lunatic is."

Danny kept silent. He felt a little better since he had talked to Jack. He didn't feel so alone. Jack stood up and stepped towards him.

"You need to keep faith, you have to keep your cool. I know it's not easy but it's absolutely essential."

"I'll try" Danny replied with shaky voice.

"Ok, and don't hide anything from me anymore, alright?" Jack squeezed his shoulder kindly.

They walked out of the office, talking about the kidnapping. Jack told Danny to ask Mack to determine the origin of the e-mails. Danny nodded and went away quickly as Jack was watching him thoughtfully. He knew that the situation was critical but he had to stay calm. As he thought about what he was going to do, he bumped into the cleaning man and apologized absent-mindedly. His mind was on other things...

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

Frank gritted his teeth. _So he had told Jack everything...Yet he had been warned!_ Nevertheless, he knew deep inside that Danny would have done it sooner or later. Actually, that's what he wanted. That way he could be cruel and in the same time, make him feel guilty. He got out of the building and a smile played over his face as he was thinking of his little revenge. Danny won't like it at all.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

As Mack tried to determine the origin of the e-mails, Danny settled down in front of his computer and started looking for people likely to hold something against Victor Fitzgerald. Being Deputy Director of the FBI, he certainly had made a great many enemies. Danny sighed and examined each file closely.

_9:17 a.m._

Mack headed towards Danny's desk, frowning.

"Danny, we're gonna tap your phone and your cell."

"Yeah sure"

"Can you come with me? I have something to show you"

Danny looked at him, wondering what he had found out. He stood up and followed him into the tech room. Jack was already there, a serious expression on his face.

"What's going on?" Danny asked giving Jack a questioning look.

"Apparently, the e-mails were sent from our offices..." Jack replied.

"What? How's that possible? Maybe he's still in the building, we need to..."

"Calm down Danny, I called the security and nobody can go out of here till we know more. The e-mails were sent from this room, I'm waiting for the surveillance tapes" Jack told him.

"I'm sorry Danny, I left the room during a quarter. With a master key, anybody could have entered here. He simply downloaded the photos from a USB key and sent them to you. It's a false e-mail address, naturally" Mack said.

"Fingerprints will be taken but I doubt we'll find something" Jack said.

"Maybe this Frank is an agent, I can't believe it!" Danny whispered.

"I don't think so" Jack said "I think he comes from the outside. Anyway, he's very clever and adventurous"

"Which means he'll see it throught..." Danny said with a shaking voice.

Jack looked down, Danny was right. If Frank had thrown himself into the lion's jaws, he'd stop at nothing.

_9:20 a.m._

An agent brought the surveillance tape to Jack, who hastened to watch it. He rewound the tape until a moment before Danny had received the e-mails. On the screen, the room stayed empty during a few seconds then a man appeared avoiding showing his face to the camera. He sat down in front of a computer and, as Mack had foreseen, took a USB key out of his pocket and downloaded the photos. After sending the e-mails, he came out as quickly as he came in.

"It's the cleaning man!" Danny exclaimed.

"That's not him. He's wearing his clothes but that's not him. He's a lot thinner than Joey Keys, the cleaning man that usually comes." Mack replied.

"He's wearing gloves, we'll find nothing here" Jack said.

He took his cell and called the reception.

"Yeah that's agent Malone, I'd like to know if you checked the cleaning man's ID...Mmmh mmmh, Ok, has he already gone? Can you describe him? Alright, please can you go up? Ok, fine, thanks..."

"So?" Danny asked.

"The man who appeared at the reception told agent Baker that he was standing in for Joey keys, the usual cleaning man. He got the uniform and the card of the cleaning company. He left a few minutes ago. Agent Baker will go up and watch some photos to see if he recognizes our guy. He didn't pay attention to his face so he doesn't think he'll be able to make an accurate description. Neither do I..."

"What do you mean?" Danny frowned.

"I saw him in the hall a short while ago. I bumped into him and I can't say what he looks like." Jack answered.

He was angry with himself. He could usually describe anybody after seeing them only a few seconds. He had been trained to do it. But this time he hadn't paid attention...

"He was nearby, I could have..." Danny said with a nasty look.

"Danny..."

"Jack, this guy is crazy, he must be really mad to do such a thing. He's gonna kill her, whatever I do, he's gonna kill her..." Danny said taking his head in his hands.

_9:36 a.m._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_When she heard her apartement bell ring, Kate walked out of the shower quickly and headed towards the living room. She looked through the spyhole, grinned and then opened the door. Danny came in and put his lips on hers gently._

_"Hi, you are...woow...sexy" he eyed her up and down with a smile on his lips._

_She only wore a bath towel tied around her chest and her wet hair was dripping on her shoulders._

_"It's the new spring trend, d'you like it?" she smiled turning round._

_"I love it," he said seductively, putting his hands on her hips,"but I deduce you're not ready yet"_

_"Yeah well, we still have time, I won't be long I promise. Make yourself comfortable."_

_She went to the bathroom as Danny sat down on the couch, taking off his tuxedo jacket. Actually, he didn't feel like going to this party but he had promised Martin. Everybody had promised him. Jack had let himself be persuaded by Vivian and Martin had used his charm to get Sam. Danny had never come to the charity galas organized by Mrs. Fitzgerald and according to Martin, it was really boring. However Kate had agreed to go with him, so he told himself that the evening couldn't be bad._

_"So what do you think of me?"_

_Danny turned round and his breath was taken away when he saw her. He kept gazing at her, unable to say a single thing._

_"I shouldn't have bought a red dress, it's too loud..." she told him unsure of herself._

_Danny didn't reply still being lost in wonder._

_"You don't like it?"_

_"Oh yes I do. You-you're gorgeous and red suits you perfectly!" Danny replied._

_"I wanted to be pretty for you" Kate smiled._

_Danny stood up, still staring at her and kissed her, pressing his lips against hers tenderly._

_"Do you think your friends will like me?" she asked him._

_"'Course they will. You're a wonderful person Kate, you're amazing, that's why I love you...ehm...I mean..."_

_"You love me?"_

_"Yes, I do" Danny smiled._

_"...ehm...well..."_

_"You're not obliged to say anything, I just wanted you to know that I'm in love with you" he stroked her face._

_"I-I...thank you"_

_Danny smiled at her kindly and took his jacket._

_"Here we go?"_

_They arrived at the gala half an hour later. The rest of the team was already there and they greeted Kate very warmly. The room was full of rich old women passing themselves off as being younger than they really were, but they found all the same a way to have fun. The team was close and Kate got along with everybody so they spent a nice evening. As Kate was deep in conversation with Sam and Viv, Martin stepped towards Danny, who was looking at her, a smile on his lips._

_"Kate is beautiful" he told him._

_"Yeah, so is Sam" Danny replied turning his eyes towards him._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"You know what I mean" he smirked then changed the subject. "Your father is still so imposing and your mother really looks headstrong"_

_"You're telling me! Look at them, talking to strangers, they haven't even noticed me..." Martin looked down._

_"I'm sorry Martin, so why are you here?" Danny asked giving him a supportive look._

_"I already missed many family commitments and I saw them very little...We're far from being close but still, I love them."_

_"I understand"_

_"And it's not a wasted evening, we met Kate. She's great"_

_"Oh yeah she is" Danny smiled._

_"So, it's serious?"_

_"I told her 'I love you' before coming"_

_"And she answered...?"_

_But before Danny could answer, Kate appeared and took his hand._

_"Would you like to dance, Mr. Taylor?" she said._

_"Duty calls"Danny told Martin._

_Martin laughed and Danny followed Kate, an arm wraped around her waist. He pressed her gently against him and they started moving together, following the rythm of the song. Kate put her head on his shoulder, feeling the strength he exuded._

_"I really like your colleagues, they're so nice" Kate said._

_"Yeah I'm lucky, they're great friends...You know, they like you too"_

_"Danny?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"About what you said before we came..."_

_"Listen, I understand you want to take your time, but I don't regret what I said. I meant it. But don't fe..."_

_"Me too" she cut him off smiling, "I love you"_

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Kate managed to smile, thinking back at that evening. She wanted him to be by her side, to hold her in his arms and never let her go. That would happen, she knew it, she had to keep faith. She was wondering why Frank held such a grudge against Danny. Who could hold something against him? He was so devoted to others...She took one of the magazines put on the ground and started flipping through it, trying not to feel gloomy.

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9:36 a.m.

Jack put a hand on Danny's shoulder.

"I know it's not easy, Danny but like I said before, you need to keep your cool. We're gonna do everything to find her, but you must concentrate" he told him gently.

Danny clenched his jaw and nodded slightly in agreement.

"Alright, I'm gonna show agent Baker some pictures, Mack?" Jack said.

"Yeah?"

"Analyze the pictures from the e-mails. See what you can find out. As for you Danny, call Kate's parents, they have to be told about it. Where do they live?"

"In Rhode Island. Jack, if I tell the parents, it will become official and Van Doren will pull us off the case..." Danny replied.

"I'll deal with it" Jack left the room.

Danny then headed towards his desk and dialled Kate's parents' number, not knowing how to tell them the news. He heard Kate's mother crying and he tried his best to reassure her. She then gave her husband the handset and worried sick, he answered that they would be there as soon as possible. Danny hung up the phone and looked on his right: agent Baker was watching criminal's pictures but in vain.

"Hey bro, you ok?"

Danny lifted up his eyes and looked at Martin, who had just arrived.

"..Yeah, I'm fine"

"It's bloody freezing outside, you were lucky to stay at the office. I found some things interesting at her work. She dated a colleague and they broke up two months ago. He was fired recently because he had stolen the company's money. Her boss saw the both of them yesterday and they were arguing. Otherwise, she's very good at her job, always ponctual, efficient..." Martin told Danny the latest niews.

"But who are you talking about?" Danny asked.

"Evelyn Nilson, the case, remember?" Martin frowned.

Danny rubbed his eyes slowly. He had totally forgotten the case they were working on. Martin, seeing his friend's state, took a chair and sat down next to him.

"Tell me..."

He had to tell him. Anyways, Martin would hear it sooner or later. However the part with his father was something difficult to say. Danny looked at Martin, then at his hands, sighing heavily.

"Danny, what's wrong?" Martin asked worried.

"Kate's been abducted"

"What?..How? When?" Martin exclaimed, stunned.

"Last night" Danny whispered.

"And you tell us now?"

"Ma-Martin, it's complicated, ok? The lunatic who detains her told me he would take his revenge if I told Jack and I panicked. I told him all the same, I-I-I didn't have a choice." Danny stammered.

"What does he want? Why did he do that?"

"He hold something against me but I don't know what...and he wants me to...to"

"To?"

"To kill your father in exchange for her life" Danny replied, not daring to meet his eyes.

Martin kept silent for awhile, trying to come to terms with what he had heard. The situation was almost unreal, he barely could believe it. But considering Danny's expression, he was sure he wasn't dreaming.

"I don't know what do to do Martin" Danny shook his head, "I feel numb...I'm scared" he whispered as Martin put a hand gently on his shoulder.

"What does Jack say about it?"

"He's with Van Doren, he's trying to convince her to let us work on Kate's disappearance" Danny replied.

"Ok, girls will be here any minutes now. Tell me everything in details, we're gonna find a way to get Kate out of it."

10:10

Jack was walking out of Van Doren's office when he saw Sam and Vivian, talking about the case. Sam noticed Jack's expression and frowned.

"Are you Ok Jack? You look worried..." she asked his boss.

"Come with me, I got something to tell you" he replied.

Sam gave Vivian a puzzled look but she didn't know anything. They both followed Jack to the bullpen where Martin was deep in conversation with Danny.

"Hey Martin, you already know about it?" Jack asked.

"yes"

"Tell me that Van Doren agreed..." Danny looked at Jack.

"Yeah I convinced her. But we'll have to go by the book."

"But what's going on?" Sam raised her voice.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Air became thick after Jack had finished telling the girls the last events. Vivian stepped towards Danny and stroked his arm in a motherly way.

"How you feelin'?" she asked him.

Danny didn't answer but looked at her with sad eyes. How did he feel? He didn't know. He felt a mixture of fear, sadness and hatred. Moreover, tiredness began being felt and he was pretty tense. They all sat down around the table as Jack spoke.

"Alright, the situation is delicate and we're in a hurry. I'm gonna send a team to the scene of the disappearance, maybe they'll find some clue. Martin, Danny, look into old files about you..."

"Jack, I've already done that! I spent last night reading them..." Danny said

"Yeah but now you got help. Sam, focus on Victor Fitzgerald and Danny's past."

Her eyes fell on Danny as if to ask him tacitly if she was allowed to intrude into his private life.

"It's Ok, Sam" he told her kindly.

"Viv, go and see if Mack has new information. I'm gonna make some phone calls" Jack said

"That's not good enough! We need to find something else, we need to..."

"That's all we have for the moment." Jack replied, sighing.

They all scattered and each of them got down to work. After several minutes, Martin asked Danny to come and check something out.

"You remember Derek Geller?" he asked him.

"Yeah, of course. I busted him three years ago for drug trafficking. We were investigating his associate's disappearance and when we found him dead two days later, I was sure he was the murderer. But there were too few evidences to pin the murder on him. Martin, that can't be him, he's in jail. He send me some threat letters from there."

"He came out of prison two months ago, Danny" Martin replied.

Danny raked nervously a hand through his hair.

"What? I don't believe it, how could I miss this?" Danny raised his voice, angry with himself.

"There are a lot of files and you were alone, it's normal you missed some things. Do you think he could do this to you?"

"He hates me but he's too dumb to devise such a plan. Moreover I would have recognized his voice"

"What about his brother?"

"His brother...yeah, what's his name?" Danny frowned.

"George"

"Yeah that's it. You interviewed him, right?"

"Yes, he's the one with the brain. He's very attached to his little brother. Besides, they live together. Hey, look at this!" Martin said.

He tilted his head to let Danny see the screen. Some months beforehand, George Geller had asked planning permission to build a room in his cellar.

"Let's go!" Danny exclaimed.

"Hey, hey, hey! Calm down Danny, we need a..."

"You want me to calm down? It's easy for you to tell, you have nothing to lose. You know I won't kill your father..." Danny cut him off, almost shouting.

Martin didn't reply but look a him with kind eyes.

"I'm sorry Martin, I didn't mean to take it out on you..." Danny shook his head.

"Let's forget about it, Ok? But I'm worried about you and about Kate, I really like her..."

"I know, I'm sorry...I..."

"You're very edgy and I understand. All I meant is that we need a warrant. We can't turn up at Geller's without..."

"I don't care of the warrant" Danny cut him off again "If Kate is over there, she must go through hell"

"What's going on?" Jack said stepping towards them.

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Meanwhile, Mack and Vivian were analyzing Kate's pictures carefully, being on the look-out for the slightest clue.

"It's a high-definition video camera, look at the pictures, they're perfect. Oh, that's strange" Mack said.

"What?"

"Do you see the ventilation system?" He asked Viv, making a close-up.

"Mmh mmh"

"It seems new, but the rest of the room is far from new. He certainly modified an old building. Viv, how's Danny?"

"He's trying to cope. He's under a lot of stress, you know. The poor boy, he went through so much in his life and now this..." Viv replied with downcast eyes.

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Digging deeper, Martin and Danny found out that Derek Geller had made the mistake to buy a rifle when he had come out of prison. Being on parole, it was totally forbidden. This, combined with threat letters and the urgency of the situation, they managed to persuade a judge to sign a warrant. Taking their guns, they left for Geller's house.

Meanwhile Sam was delving into Danny's past. She knew Danny hadn't had a happy childhood but she didn't know it was so bad. He never talked about his past and he always seemed to be able to bear everything. But now that Sam knew about what happened in his childhood, she wondered how Danny could come to the office everyday with a smile on his lips. Danny was very important to her and her heart broke when she read the many ill-treatment reports from the different foster families he had gone to. However nothing in his past seemed to be connected to Kate's kidnapping. When Danny had left Florida to New York, he had left his former life and his problems behind. She realized that Danny must have felt very lonely all his life and if Kate died, he would never be able to cope.

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_10:51 a.m._

Frank looked at the screen. Kate was sitting cross-legged in the armchair, bitting her nails. He smiled, wondering how she'd react at the sound of his voice. He turned on the microphone in front of him and started speaking.

"Hello Kate..."

Kate jumped and cast puzzled looks all around her. Who had spoken? Where did the voice come from? Was it the Frank who had written the letter? Finding no answer to her questions, she stood up and shouted:

"What do you want?"

"There is no need to shout. You can speak normally, I will hear you"

"Who are you?" she asked.

"My name's Frank"

"A fat lot of good that does me! Can you explain further?"

"Frank will be enough for the moment. I hope you like your new home?"

"I feel like a queen althought the view leaves a lot to be desired, I got to tell you!" she said sarcastically.

The fear she had been feeling for the past hours faded to be replaced by anger. She wanted to know what was going on and why she was detained against her will. Moreover, the tone used by her kidnapper really got on her nerves.

"Oh, I see you've regained your composure" Frank told her.

"I'm sorry, I don't know the rules. Am I supposed to cry?" Kate replied, her eyes darkening.

"Oh please, don't be so aggressive, I'm trying to be friendly..."

"Why am I here?"

"I told you in my letter. I'm waiting for your boyfriend to do a little job for me. When the job is done, I'll release you."

"Why Danny, huh? What did he do to you?" Kate got excited.

"Do you really know the man who shares your life? If you knew how much he hurts people, you'd certainly love him less"

"I know Danny, a lot better than you do!"

"Really? Do you know he belonged to a gang when he was young? Do you know he was an alcoholic during nine years?" he started laughing, "he was so drunk that he couldn't even take his bar exam! Do you know his brother is a drug addict and that Danny disowned him for years? Do you know that in one of his foster families, Danny sent another child to the hospital?"

"You haven't told me anything I didn't know already! Danny told me everything about his past. He didn't have an easy life but he got over it and became a good person. I respect him even more for that. You'll have to find something else, Frank because I won't stop loving him.

"Do you know he kills innocent people?" Frank said, his voice full of anger.

"I don't believe you" Kate replied very calmly.

"But that is true! And you're here because of him!"

"No, I'm here because of you and only you! You're the one who abducts me and you're the one who detains me in this room. I wouldn't like to be you when Danny catches you!" Kate shouted.

She heard a loud noise then silence. What happened? She paid attention to a small object near the ceiling. A speaker. _So, he talks to me through this...Electrical cords must come out of the room, _she thought. She didn't understand why he was so mad at Danny. _Do you know he kills innocent people?_ No, she couldn't believe it. Danny dedicated his life to others and he hated having to shoot at somebody. She hammered the door with her fists, she couldn't take being locked up.

Frank had pushed the microphone over violently. How could she be so loyal to someone like him? He looked at Kate and started feeling a deep hatred towards her. If she didn't believe him, she deserved to suffer then. He removed the tape from the video recorder, put it in his bag and placed a new one. He then stood up and left the place to get back to his apartment. He still had some things to do.

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_11:13 a.m._

Derek Geller sighed when he heard the doorbell ring. Whoever it was, he came at the wrong moment. _If they are still those fucking Jehovah's Witnesses, I'll beat them up!_, he told himself heading towards the door. He opened it and the first face he saw was the one of the agent who had arrested him tree years ago.

"Agent Taylor, what a surprise!" Derek said with contempt.

Danny stepped towards him, took him by the collar and pushed him against the wall.

"Where is Kate?" Danny said with a nasty look.

"Who? I don't know any Kates..."

Danny tightened his grip but Jack came up to him and put a hand on his chest to make him back off.

"What's the matter with you?" Derek exclaimed.

"Derek Geller, we have a warrant to search your house" Jack told him.

"What am I charged with?"

"Kidnapping" Jack replied.

"Bullshit! I didn't do anything!" Derek said and then looked at Danny, "Last time wasn't enough for you, _man_? You wanted to piss me off one more time?"

"Danny, calm down" Jack said, holding him back.

"You'll hear of my lawyer!"

"Yeah yeah..." Marting said rolling his eyes.

As the policemen entered the house, Danny, who had unholstered his gun, headed towards the cellar. He opened the door and went down the stairs, followed by Jack and Martin.

"Kate?" Danny shouted.

What he found wasn't what he had expected.

"Oh no..." he looked away.

George Geller, Derek's brother, stepped towards Danny, half-angry, half-embarrassed.

"What right did you have to come in?" he asked.

"We got a warrant" Danny replied.

"All we're doing here is legal! Actors are paid and well-treated."

"Yeah, that's it! How old are the girls? Fourteen? Fifteen?" Jack frowned.

He turned his eyes towards them. They were trying to put their clothes back on quickly, a lost and frightened look on their face. The Geller brothers certainly made pots of money with their home-made movies, porn trade being very flourishing. Jack felt sick, the girls were so young. Of foreign origin, they must have been bought then sold to perverts who treated them like toys. Even if Derek and George were guilty of being part of this awful trade, they obviously had nothing to do with Kate's disappearance. He turned his head away and focus on Danny, who seemed as disguted as him. A girl started talking Spanish, looking at him with imploring eyes.

"Por favor ayudénos…" she said in a whisper

"Soy Danny¿Cómo te llamas?" Danny asked kindly.

"Luisa"

"¿De dónde eres Luisa?"

"El Salvador"

He then told her that everything were gonna be alright and that they were gonna be taken care of. A policeman cuffed George Geller, who this time would go to jail with his brother. Jack squeezed Danny's shoulder.

"We're gonna find her, Danny" he said.

_11:30 a.m._


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Kate looked all around her. There was a camera near the speaker and she sighed with rage: he could also see her. She sat down on the armchair, stood up and then sat down again, she couldn't keep quiet. The last hours she had spent began driving her mad and the conversation she had had with her kidnapper had strengthened her suspicions: Frank was crazy. What she still didn't know was how he knew so many things about Danny. Was he someone from his past? Kate knew he had a bad childhood, Danny having opened up to her little by little.

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_Kate buried her face in the hollow of Danny's neck as with her finger, she traced small circles on his chest. They said nothing for awhile, enjoying the moment and each other's company. He ran his hand through her hair, the sweet flagrance of her perfume arousing his senses. He felt good, really good. Whatever could happen in the future, he had found peace by her side. Suddenly, he felt her thumb brushing against the scar on his side._

_"It's a long story," he murmured._

_"It's not an appendicitis scar, right?" _

_"Not really," he laughed sadly, "I...ehm..."_

_She pulled away from him and looked at him straight in the eyes, stroking his cheek with the back of her hand._

_"Hey, if it's too hard for you to tell, don't do it...but I'm here" she said kindly seeing the shadow on his face._

_"Have I already told you how much I love you?"_

_"Not for the last 10 minutes" she smiled._

_"I love you"_

_She kissed him gently and put her head back on his chest. But she felt his pulse quickening as he started speaking, slowly, words echoing in the silence of the room._

_"After my parents' death, I started roaming the streets and I ended up in a gang. I was happy, I felt strong, powerful. I was drinking alcohol, smoking joints, I had girls and...I had a family. At least, that's what I thought. I got myself into trouble and soon I was arrested by the police. I then wanted to leave the gang but it wasn't that easy. The leader told me: "So you wanna leave your brothers?", then he looked straight at me and stabbed me in cold blood, without any feeling..."_

_"Oh Danny..." Kate's voice broke._

_"They left me alone in an alleyway. It hurt badly, I was cold and scared...so scared. I lost consciousness and woke up in a hospital. I got lucky but..."_

_He didn't finish his sentence and sighed. She raised her head towards him and groped for his hand, never breaking the eyecontact. She felt he was squeezing it as tears appeared in his brown eyes. She brought his head to her chest and the sweet and warm contact of her bare skin soothed him. They talked during hours, clasped in each other's arm, night wrapping them._

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Maybe it was someone from his former gang or someone from his work, she didn't know. Danny barely talked about the cases he worked on, only the ones that affected him. What if it was one of his brother's acquintances? Kate took his head in her hand, it was useless for her to rack her brains, she needed to relax. She then took another magazine and frowned seeing the cover. It had totally slipped her mind.

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_12:30_

After having come back from Geller's house, everyone settled down around the conference table, trying to make things clear. They made their best not to stare at Danny but they couldn't help looking at him. He was pallid and had bags under his eyes, the last hours of tension had made his face become gaunt. They hated seeing him in that state.

"Well, what do we got? Viv?" Jack said.

"Nothing much, it's an old building but he modified some things. There is a ventilation system, but I suppose he'll shut it when...time comes."

"The camera?"

"High-definition, it's very good quality. Kate must been filmed continuously. I also had the results from the scientific team. They found nothing interesting on the scene of the dissapearance" She replied.

"Sam?"

"I found no one in your past likely to do such a thing," she said looking at Danny, "José Lopez, the boy who stabbed you at that time got sent down for twenty years."

"I had troubles with a kid in a foster family, what was his name..." Danny said.

"John Gray."

"Yeah, that's it"

"I checked, he's a lawyer in Boston and has an alibi. I then focused on Victor Fitzgerald. Two years ago, he worked with you and Martin on Lindsay Bush's case"

"Yeah of course, how could I forget this? She had been druged and raped. I testified against his...Oh my God!" Danny opened his eyes wide, "his rapist, his name was Frank!"

"I know, I was struck by the coincidence" Sam began but Danny cut her off.

"That can't be a coincidence!"

"Danny! He died...He was killed in jail" Sam said.

Danny rolled away from the table violently.

"Dammit!"

Jack let him calm down and went on with the conversation.

"This Frank, he had family?"

"A father, Martin, you interviewed him" Sam said looking at him.

"Yeah I remember this case" Martin frowned,"my father had used his influence in the trial. Frank's father was in hospital when I interviewed him. He couldn't even attend the trial. He always maintained that his son was innoncent. I didn't like that guy, he was strange, almost frightening."

"What do you have on him?"Jack asked Sam.

"A death certificate, he died a few weeks after his son's death."

Jack bent his head and rubbed his forehead, trying to think. Another wrong track...A agent headed towards them and asked for Danny.

"Agent Taylor?"

"Yes?" Danny lifted up his eyes.

"NYPD found Joey Key's body, the cleaning man... There was a letter pinned on him, it's for you.

Danny stood up and took the envelope in his hand. With apprehension, he took the letter out.

_My dearest Danny,_

_As you certainly know now, Joey Keys is dead. We didn't converse a lot but he looked like a decent man. I'm sure you don't even see who he was, feeling superior with your badge and your weapon. He had a wife and two lovely sons but that's life! Because of you, two children will never see their Dad again. I hope you realize how much you hurts people around you, Danny. I'll get in touch with you soon and in order that you don' t forget what you have to do for me, I left you a little something in the envelope. I'd like to finish my letter with "yours truly" as propriety demands but I was always taught that it is wrong to lie._

_Frank._

Danny took a deep breath and looked in the envelope. There was a watch and Danny clentched his fists with rage. He crumpled the letter and threw it on the ground.

"I need to...I...I need to go out..." he said.

He went away under the puzzled eye of his colleagues. Sam bent down and picked the crumpled paper up. After reading it, she handed it to Martin.

"I'm gonna talk to him" she said.

Martin also took a glance at the letter.

"But who is this bastard?" he shook his head.

"I don't know but when we catch him, he'll surely regret his actions" Jack replied.

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Sam entered the break room and stepped towards Danny. Sat on the edge of the table, he was staring into space with lost eyes. She sat down next to him and squeezed his arm gently.

"This is not your fault Danny" she said.

"Do you really mean it? An innocent man is dead because..."

"Because a mad man killed him, you nothing to do with his death" she cut him off.

"To devise such a plan, he must have followed us, he must've..."he shook his head "I saw nothing, I could have prevented this from happening."

"Stop blaming yourself, this is what he wants"

"Everyday, I find strangers back and I can even save the woman I love"

He bent his head and Sam put a hand on the back of his neck.

"He's gonna kill her, I know it" he whispered.

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Frank smiled picturing Danny's expression. He headed towards the kitchen and started cooking. He was hungry, no he was starved. After eating, he sat down in his armchair and looked at his mother's portrait that hung in the living room.

"I know, it was an innocent man but the end justifies the means, no?

As his mother wasn't gonna answer him anyways, he took his eyes off the big frame and his attention was drawn to an object that was lying about on the coffee table.

"Let's see what you have in your bag, Kate"

He hesitated for a while as though, even after what he had done, he still had scruples about intruding into her private life. After having seen the content of the bag, he burst out laughing.

"Oh but that's even better" he laughed.

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Danny got a grip on himself and came back to the bulllpen with Sam. Jack stepped towards him, looking for the right words to say.

"It's okay, Jack" Danny told him before he began, "he won't break me so easily"

"Alright"

"Jack, I thought about something. He must have followed us, made inquiries about us, our habits...Maybe our neighbors or Kate's colleagues saw something, he must have made a mistake..." Danny said.

"You're right" Jack told him, "Viv?"

"I'm going to interview the neighbors" she replied.

"I'm going to Kate's former apartment" Sam said.

"And me to her work" Martin added.

"Ehm...perfect" Jack said

"What am I doing?" Danny asked.

"You stay here in case he gets in touch with you. There are still tons of old files to check" Jack replied as Danny grimaced but nodded all the same.

Suddenly Danny's line started ringing and his heart jumped in his chest but he soon calmed down when he saw it was the reception calling.

"Taylor? Yeah, ok...ask them to come up...yeah thanks" Danny said.

He hung up the phone and looked at the team.

"Kate's parents are here"

_12:44_


	10. Chapter 10

****

_Here is a new chapter, I hope you'll like it_

**Chapter 10**

Danny got out of the bullpen to meet the Buckley's, Kate's parents. He had a shock when he saw them given that they seemed to have aged 10 years. He quickened his pace and headed towards them. David Buckley shook his hand vigorously as he used to do and his wife embraced him, her eyes misted with tears.

"Tell me she isn't hurt, tell me she's ok" she told him.

"We don't have much information right now but...she's unhurt and..."

"But what happened? Who detains my daughter? Was a ransom asked for?" she said hysterically.

Danny looked at Kate's father, his eyebrows frowned. Evy Buckley wasn't ready to hear the truth in that state. Who was really ready? It was too cruel. David tilted her chin up with one finger and looked tenderly at her.

"Look darling, I'm gonna talk to Danny", he turned his head to him, "Is there a place for her to rest?"

"Yeah sure, we have a break room" Danny replied.

"I'm taking her there" Jack said, behind Danny. He then took Evy Buckley to the break room as David stared at Danny.

"Now tell me what's happening"

"It's my fault" Danny replied with downcast eyes.

"What do you mean?" David frowned.

"A man abducted Kate to hurt me"

"What? Why? Who did this? What does he mean to do with Kate?"

"I don't know who he is and I don't know what he holds against me. He calls himself Frank and I have to do something for him, or else..."

"Or else?" Kate's father raised his voice.

Danny didn't answer but David understood what was hiding behind his silence.

"Oh my God"

"We do our best to find her, believe me..."

"Why don't you do what he demands?"

"It's not that easy..." Danny looked down.

"Course it's easy! If you really cared about my daughter, you'd do anything to bring her back to you!"

"How can you say that?" Danny said almost shouting, "I care about her more than anything, I'd give my life to get her out of it but I can't do what he demands, I can't..."

"What does he want you to do?" David asked more softly this time.

"I have to kill someone" Danny clenched his jaw.

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Frank got out of his apartment, a smile on his lips. He greeted his neighbor kindly and she did the same. Her hands were shaking due to the excitement and he came hurtling down the stairs to get out of the building. His plan was going perfectly, even better than that. He sat down in his car, trying to calm down, the cruel smile played over his face since a short while ago having not disappeared.

"You will know what it is to suffer, Danny!" he laughed spitefully.

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_1:30 p.m._

Vivian had reached the building Danny and Kate lived in and had started interviewing the neighbors but she had heard nothing useful so far. She knocked at the door in front of her, hoping she would be luckier this time. As for Martin, he was questioning Kate's colleagues while Sam was trying to find some clues at her former apartment. They all worried about Danny and tried not to think about the worst-case scenario. They knew that the more time went by, the more stressed their friend should feel.

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Danny sat down on his chair, sighing heavily. He closed his eyes for a while trying to regain his composure. He needed a drink if only to be able to cope. He was repelled by the thought but he couldn't help it. It would be easier with a drink, he could forget everything and feel a little less powerless, a little less guitly...

"Are you ok, Danny?"

Danny opened his eyes and his black thoughts disappeared from his head, at least for a moment but he knew they'd come back soon.

"I'm fine, I-I was just taking a moment to..."

"Yeah" Jack said handing him a sandwich, "this is for you, it's almost appetizing"

"I'm not hungry" Danny shook his head.

"Maybe but you will eat it all the same. You haven't slept or eaten for hours and I don't want you to pass out" Jack replied gently but severely.

Danny nodded, resigning himself. He took the sandwich put in front of him and forced himself to eat it even if he had a lump in his throat. At first he thought he was going to throw up but he managed to finish it off. He smiled faintly, seeing Jack take care of him. He was lucky to have him by his side, he would've been unable to confront this all alone.

Jack watched him eating silently, his brown eyes staring into space. _It's Danny, he'll be Ok..._How many times has he heard this sentence, he couldn't tell. So far it has been true, Danny seemed to be able to bear everything. Jack counted a lot on his young agent, his colleagues as well. But the Danny who was sat in front of him was another man, a man with weaknesses, weaknesses that Jack had always wanted to ignore and that Danny had never wanted to show. Now he had to be strong for him.

"The Buckley's look like good people" he told Danny.

"Yeah they are and they're loving parents" he replied lifting his eyes up to him.

He then looked down at the ground and sighed sadly.

"They're blaming me, Jack" he said.

"But what are you talkin' about?"

"I know what they think and I understand them. Kate would be safe now if she wasn't my girlfriend. I bring bad luck to people I love: my parents died, Rafi keeps getting into trouble, Martin got shot and now Kate..."

"Hey Danny, get a grip, I don't want you to think like that, you understand me?" Jack replied almost shouting, "This is not your fault!"

"I should have seen it coming, I should've seen we were watched, I should've persuaded Kate to take another way home..."

"This way of thinking leads nowhere"

"I need to get out of here, I need to look for her, I'm going crazy sitting here and waiting. I really realize now what it is to be...on the other side"

"I know, I know..." Jack whispered.

"Tell me we're gonna find her, it doesn't matter if you lie to me but I need to hear it"

"We're gonna find her and everything will be fine"

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_2:00 p.m._

Frank walked out of the shop, his arms full of bags. He put them on the backseat with a satisfied look on his face. He didn't need what he had bought but he wanted them, he wanted to enjoy these two days completely. He settled down behind the wheel and switched on the ignition. He had to get in touch with Danny now, so he drove randomly around the city and eventually found what he was looking for.

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Sam came back to the office, followed by Vivian. When they entered the bullpen, Danny lifted his eyes towards them, hoping they'd bring good news.

"So?" he asked.

"On my side, not much" Vivian spoke "One of you neighbors thinks she was abducted by the aliens, but..."

"Arnold?" Danny managed to smile.

"Yeah, that's him. I also talked to your neighbor upstairs who feels like she had been followed for the past two months but she couldn't be more precise. I'm sorry, I haven't heard anything else."

"Sam?" Jack asked the blond woman.

"I..."

She was cut off by the ringing of Danny's phone.

"This is not the reception calling this time" Danny said.

"Wait two seconds before answering" Jack told him.

He made a sign to an agent to trace the call.

"Make him talk as long as possible" Jack told Danny.

"Jack, I know"

"Yeah sure"

Danny took a deep breath, picked up the handset and pushed the speaker button on, so the others could hear the whole conversation.

"Frank" Danny said coldly.

"What a pity! I didn't even manage to create a surprise" Frank laughed.

"What do you want?"

"You know what I want, I want you to kill Victor Fitzgerald but till then, I have a question for you."

"What question?"

"Do you know what is the date?" he asked, "the time, I'm sure you know it" he added laughing.

"We're the 19th of December" Danny gritted his teeth.

"Have you thought about Christmas presents yet?"

"What?"

"Christmas presents, it's more than time, you know. You should see the long queues at check-outs, it's crazy. What are you going to buy Kate? The ideal thing would be an item you could have refunded in case...she dies."

Vivian put a hand on Danny's arm, seeing he was losing his cool. He took several seconds before answering.

"Danny?"

"You're calling to talk shop?" Danny eventually replied.

"Not really. I have something important to tell you"

"I wanna talk to Kate first"

"Not now, I'm sorry" Frank replied.

The agent made a sign to Jack to tell him Frank had be located. Jack stood up and whispered to Danny to keep him on the phone.

"What proves me she's still alive?" Danny asked.

"Nothing but she is, trust me. I'll put her through in some hours, don't be so anxious. You really need to relax, you know. Why not having a drink? Oooh sorry I forgot, you can't. By the way, don't forget your AA meeting tonight"

Danny clunched the handset with rage.

"What did I do to you Frank?"

"You'll know soon. Let's get back to the subject. I wanted to tell you that I took the liberty of looking in Kate's purse, I'm sure she'll forgive me. It's incredible what you can find in a purse"

"What are you getting at?" Danny asked, exasperated.

"Have you noticed some changes in Kate lately?"

"What kind of changes?" Danny frowned.

"Morning nausea, blackouts..."

"Oh my God!"

"Yeah, that's what I told myself when I found the pregnancy test. You know, maybe she's not pregant but right now, she thinks she is. The poor girl..."

"I..I.." Danny stammered shocked by the news.

"I know what you feel, really. Look, I've certainly been located so I'm gonna end this conversation here. Congratulations, _Daddy_"

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_Three days beforehand..._

_Kate yawned trying her best to keep her eyes open. Lying on the couch, she was watching an interesting show, nevertheless she didn't manage to focus on it. She had been feeling an utter tiredness since the morning and it hadn't got better hours passing by._

_"wow but what's happening to me?" she yawned one more time._

_Suddenly she heard the door being opened and she stood up quickly, too much quickly because she got dizzy turns. However, as she didn't want Danny to be worried, she took a deep breath and regained her balance. She headed towards the door and smiled when she saw Danny's face hidden by a huge bunch of flowers._

_"Are they for me?" she asked._

_Danny tilted his head to look at her and smirked._

_"No, actually, they were for Martin but he doesn't like roses, he prefers lilies, so as I hate wasting, I told myself I could gave them to you."_

_"For what occasion?" she laughed._

_"yeah well, I was on the way home when I realized how lucky I was to live with you. I'd like to thank you for sharing my life, for being you and making me better._

_Kate stood speechless for a few seconds. She didn't expect such a declaration. Danny showed her everyday that he loved her but he had difficulty expressing his feelings with words._

_"Woww, thanks...I love you Danny"_

_"I love you" he kissed her gently._

_She put a hand on neck and deepened the kiss. After a while they finally broke apart._

_"How was your day?" she asked._

_"Good, funny. An old lady was missing and it turned out she had spent two romantic days at her new boyfriend's apartment." He smiled._

_"How old?"_

_"69 years old"_

_"mmh mmh 69?" she laughed,"It was the perfect age to do that"_

_He laughed back, watching her putting the roses into a vase. He found her beautiful even if she looked really tired._

_"Are you hungry? There are leftovers in the fridge."_

_"No, thanks I'm fine, I ate a sandwich at the office"he replied and then stepped towards the TV, "what were you watching?"_

_"..."_

_"Kate?" _

_Getting no answer, he turned around, worried._

_"Hey baby, are you ok?"_

_"Danny..." she whispered._

_"Kate!!!"_

_Danny rushed towards her as she collapsed. She fell in his arms and he took her to the couch. He put a cushion behind his head and raised his legs while saying her name._

_"Kate, do you hear me? Kate?"_

_He patted his cheek and her eyes eventually fluttered open. While stroking her cheek, he spoke to her softly, trying to reassure her as she was coming to little by little._

_"What happened?" she asked._

_"you've fainted honey, don't move, I'll take you a glass of water" he kissed her forehead._

_He came back a few seconds later with the glass and a candy bar._

_"Here you are" he said handing her the candy bar, "that will put a bit of sugar in your blood, you're so pale"_

_"I'm fine, don't worry"_

_"I'm gonna call a doctor"_

_"There's no need to call a doctor, Danny. I'm a bit tired and I haven't eaten much, that's all. I'm fine, really"_

_She then tried to get up but Danny put two strong hands on her shoulders._

_"No way you're gonna stand up. I will carry you to our room"_

_"But..."_

_"No buts" Danny looked deeply at her._

_"ok" she resigned herself._

_Danny lifted her up off the couch, carried her to the bedroom and put her delicately on the bed._

_"we should really call a doctor" Danny said worried._

_"For drop in blood pressure? Look, I've worked a lot lately and with the moving in, I got tired, that's all. I don't want you to worry, besides I'm a lot better. I could go jogging or..." she looked at him with lustful eyes._

_"I think you should rest" Danny said seriously._

_"I don't feel like resting" she bit her bottom lip._

_She took his hand, making him lean over and then kissed him passionately._

_"And then you'll say that I'm insatiable" Danny smiled._

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2:17 p.m.

"He called from a pay phone, 127th and Davis" Jack turned his head to Danny, "I sent a team over there, Danny? Danny?"

Danny didn't answer. His head slightly tilted, he was staring at the phone with empty eyes.

"Danny!"

"Ehm, yeah, we need to go over there" Danny said looking at Jack.

"I've already sent a team and..."

"Whatever, I need to go over there. Maybe he left something for me, maybe he's still there to see if I'd come, anyways I need to get out of here" Danny cut him off.

"Ok, come with me" Jack said.

They went out of the Federal Plaza and headed towards Jack's car. Neither of both said a word as they were driving. Jack wished he could say something reassuring, something that could give him new hope but he knew for a fact that his words would have rung false.

Danny was looking through the window playing nervously with his hands. Jack then decided to break the silence, even if he knew that making Danny talk wasn't an easy task.

"Aren't you too cold? Do you want me to increase the heater?"

"Yeah, please, thanks" Danny whispered.

"You need to..." Jack began but Danny cut him off.

"I know, I need to keep faith and not to give up but I can't think rationally, I feel like I've been knocked out..."

"I understand, this is a normal reaction given the circumstances. The woman you love is in danger and you're reacting like anybody..."

"I can't react like anybody" Danny said angry with himself, "I feel so...useless"

"I know, but you're not and don't forget you're also a victim" Jack replied and then became quiet for a moment before broaching another subject, "Do you think Kate may be pregnant?"

Danny looked down.

"Yes, that may be. She's had dizzy spells and nausea for the last days, she even passed out three days ago. I've never thought that..." he held back a sob, "I should be wild with joy and on the contrary, I feel like I'm living a nightmare"

"That won't help you a lot, but I know what you feel"

"Yeah I forgot, you lived the same situation. By the way, how is Anne?"

"I don't really know, good I hope, we haven't talked much since the miscarriage" Jack clenched his jaw.

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Kate sat down calmly and picked up again the magazine she had read three hours beforehand. The cover showed a happy woman with a round tummy and title said: A baby, a change for life´. She shook her head, wondering if she was pregnant. She felt tears welled up in her eyes but she held them back, she didn't want her kidnapper to see her cry. It was far from being the best moment to have a baby. She was unmarried and had just moved in at Danny's place. She didn't know either if he wanted children, they had barely talked about this.

"I need to get out of here before thinking about that" she told herself.

She put the magazine back down and stood up. Imitating Frank's sugary tone, she spoke to him, looking deeply at the camera.

"Frank, would you be so kind as to bring me something to drink and, if you don't mind of course, I would also like a snack... Frank, I'm sure you're listening to me... Frank? I'm dissapointed, you're breaking all the rules of hospitality. I won't come back next time, be warned..."

Getting no answer, she shrugged and sat down cross-legged against the wall, with a nasty look on her face. She absolutely didn't want to show him she was scared, he would've been too happy.

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Jack and Danny arrived at the phone booth that, of course, had been deserted. They got out of the car and Danny looked all around him.

"I'm sure he's here Jack, he's certainly watching me from a corner, like a perv" he said.

"Do you reckon he'd take the risk?"

"Oh yeah, just to see the look on my face, he wants to see me suffer"

Two agent came up to Jack and the elder one spoke.

"Agent Malone? We went round the area, but we don't really know who we must looking for. We don't even have a description of the suspect"

"Are there any streets surveillance cameras?" he asked.

"Nope, this area seems to be lacking in them"

"Yeah, he found the right place" Jack sighed.

"Will we take fingerprints?" the younger agent asked.

"No, that will be useless, he's too clever to leave his fingerprints on the phone." Jack replied and then stepped towards Danny, who stood in front of the phone booth.

"Something interesting?" he put his hand on Danny's bacK.

"He left me a souvenir" Danny laughed with rage.

He handed him some pictures of Kate. Below one of them, three sentences had been written down in capital letters.

_What day is it?_

_And in what month?_

_This clock never seemed so alive_

"It's a song from Lifehouse, one of Kate's favorite bands" he clenched his fists, "I will find him Jack and he's gonna pay!"

Jack gasped. He knew Danny could get hot sometimes, but he had never seen so much hatred in his eyes.

_2:46_


	11. Chapter 11

_Thanks to the ones who left reviews, it encourages me a lot to translate._

**Chapter 11**

A nasty look played over Frank's face when he saw Danny's expression. So many feelings could be read on his face: anger, fear, hatred, powerlessness...So many things that reinforced Frank's sick pleasure. He was achieving his ends, breaking him little by little. Noticing the agents were looking in his direction, he turned up his coat collar, buried his head in it and left his hiding-place in order to get back to his car. His day hasn't finished yet.

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Jack put a hand on Danny's shoulder, "Calm down, he'll pay, believe me, he'll pay but right now, you have to..."

Danny got free of his grip with irritation.

"I'm sick and tired of being told to calm down! Kate is locked up in a room and soon she will suffocate and we got nothing! Absolutely nothing! No lead, no suspect...This sick man plays with me like a puppet and I can't do anything! He'll win and I'll see him take away from me the most important thing in my life..." Danny said almost shouting.

"We still have time Danny" Jack told him calmly.

"Oh yeah? What time is it? 3 O'clock? What have we got so far?"

"Don't give up, we will find something, we're gonna get her of it..."

"I'm not giving up, it's just that...you can't know how much I love her, I couldn't bear to lose her. If I could, I'd give my life for hers without hesitating, why doesn't attack me directly? If he wants me, I'm here. I'd rather die than live without her..."

Jack kept quiet, unable to add anything to what Danny had said. Unfortunately he was right, they had nothing so far and hours passing by shortened Kate's life expectancy. However losing heart was not in Jack's nature and he opened his mouth, ready to say encouraging words when his cell phone rang...

"Malone? Mmmh mmmh...ok, yeah thanks", Jack hung up his cell and lifted up his eyes to Danny, "It was Sam, she searched in the vicinity if someone was likely to hold a grudge against you"

"And?" Danny rose an eyebrow.

"Do you remember Doug Hanson?"

"Doug Hanson, Doug Hanson..." Danny said frowning, "yeah I remember him, this case goes back several years now, I...I killed him"

"Yeah and his brother lives two blocks away"

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Meanwhile Martin arrived at the office, he walked towards the two women and asked them where were Jack and Danny.

"Frank called and they went to the phone booth. They're on another track now..." Vivian replied.

"What did Frank want?"

Sam threw a look to her female colleague.

"He hurt Kate?" Martin asked worried.

"No but he did hurt Danny. He plays with his feelings and his nerves, you should have seen his face Martin, it was awful...I can't bear seeing him suffer like this and being unable to help him", she paused running a hand over her face, "This Frank guy is an absolute monster"

"He told him he had found a pregnancy test in Kate's purse" Vivian added.

"Oh Jesus, how did Danny react?"

"I don't think he has realized yet but he needed to get out of here..."Vivian answered.

"Yeah, I understand it" Martin said, concern written all over his face.

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_3:17 p.m._

Danny and Jack went up three floors to reach the one where Doug Hanson's brother lived. They walked along the dark corridor till they found his apartment. In front of the door, Jack watched Danny and noticing his nervousness, he decided to talk to him before knocking.

"Listen, we have nothing against him, he may be totally innocent, alright? I don't want you to lose your cool, we're just gonna interview him..."

"I'll control myself, don't worry"

"Good, or else I'm doing it alone" Jack looked at him sternly.

"I'll stay calm, I promise" Danny returned his look.

"Ok" he replied and then knocked.

They heard someone say I'm coming´ and a squat man opened the door.

"Tom Hanson?"

"Yes, how can I help you guys?" he replied nonchalantly.

"I'm special agent Malone and this is special agent Taylor" Jack said flashing his badge,"we'd like to ask you some questions"

Tom Hanson stared at Jack, then turned his head to Danny and his eyes lingered on him.

"Hey, you're the agent who killed my brother!" he finally said.

"Yeah, that's me, where is Kate?" Danny said coldly.

"Kate? She's in the kitchen, why?"

Danny threw Jack a surprised look.

"Why do you wanna see my wife?" Tom frowned.

"Your wife?" Jack repeated, lost.

"Yes my wife, Kate. I can call her but I want to know what are the charges against her" Tom became angry as Jack shook his head.

"Ehm...just tell me where were you yesterday about 6:30..."

"I was at work, and Kate was at home, but what's going on?"

"My girlfriend was abducted at that time..." Danny replied, gazing at him.

"And you think I could have something to do with it? Why would I have done such a thing, huh?"

"It's obvious why" Danny said, never breaking the eyecontact.

"Doug" Tom whispered.

"Yes"

"Look, it happened long time ago and I managed to forget...God knows how much I loved my brother but he got into trouble and that's what killed him. If it can help you I don't blame you, I know you didn't have a choice..." Tom told Danny truthfully.

Jack looked at Danny, Tom Hanson had nothing to do with Kate's kidnapping, he was sure of that.

"Must I call Katie? She'll confirm what I told you. And I can give you my boss's number..." Tom asked them on a friendlier tone.

"No, it's okay" Jack sighed.

"I'm sorry for...well...for what happened with your brother. I've never had the opportunity to tell you so far, so sorry" Danny looked down.

"I hope you'll find your girlfriend" Tom said gently.

"So do I" Danny murmured, eyes still downcast.

They left Tom Hanson's apartment even more piqued than they were beforehand. Danny hadn't pin too many hopes on this new lead but still, deep inside he hoped it was the right one. He had been surprised by Tom's attitude towards him. Knowing he didn't blame him took away a bit of the guilt he felt everytime he had to take someone's life. They went back to the car silently as it started snowing. Danny looked up at the sky, staring at the snowflakes swirling down. It surely would be snowing at December, 25 and usually he liked that but things had changed presently. What was the point of having a white Christmas if Kate wasn't by his side anymore?

Back at the office, Danny sat down heavily on his chair, taking his head in his hands. Martin stepped towards him and sat on the edge of his desk.

"Hey brother, I heard of the phone call, h-how do you feel?" he asked him awkwardly.

Danny didn't answer but his face expression was meaningful.

"You want a cup of coffee?" Martin asked gently.

"yeah I could use some, thanks"

He then took the pictures of Kate out of his pocket. Like the last ones, she didn't seem to be hurt but her face was more serene, which reassured Danny a little. He knew that, in spite of her phobia, Kate was someone strong and she'd do everything to keep faith. Suddenly Jack appeared in front of him and assembled his team again.

"Ok, Sam, Martin, what have you found out?"

"Kate's former neighbor told me a man was often parked in front of the building but she was unable to make an accurate description: about forty, brown hair, that's all she said."

"Car make?" Danny asked.

"She couldn't remember but it was metallic grey"

"Martin?" Jack turned his eyes to him.

"According to Kate's boss, she once asked him to accompany her to the subway station because she felt like she was followed..."

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_Frank was sat in his car, waiting for Kate to come out of work. He had already amassed much information about her and now, he needed to know the path she used to go back to her apartment. He'd hear later she was gonna move._

_Kate came out of the office with James, her boss. As they were talking about this and that, she stopped suddenly and a shadow came over her face. James turned round noticing that something was obviously wrong._

_"What's going on?" he asked her worried._

_"Do you see that man? In the grey car?" _

_"Yes..."_

_"I don't know but I feel like he's following me. I saw him when I was doing the shopping, at the music store, in front of my building and now he's here..." she frowned._

_"Wait here" James said, heading towards Frank's car._

_When Frank saw that someone was walking towards him, he took off at top speed, cursing himself for not having been more careful. He had taken precautions with Danny because he had experience but he hadn't thought that Kate could have noticed him. He had to be more discreet now..._

_James walked back to Kate with a sorry look._

_"He took off too fast, I'm sorry" he told her._

_"Don't be, running after a car is less easy thank it looks" she laughed and then became serious again,"Would you mind to accompany me to the subway station?"_

_"No way, I'll drive you back home" he said gently._

_"No, don't bother, it's nice but..."_

_"No buts, I'll drive you back home and that's all there is to it!"James replied seriously._

_"Thanks" Kate smiled at him._

_"I think you should tell the police"_

_"The police, noooo. I'm sure it's nothing and what could the police do, huh? This man hasn't even spoken to me..." Kate shrugged._

_"Or you could tell your boyfriend...He works for the government, no?"_

_"No, I don't want him to be worried. Maybe I feel rather uneasy but I'm sure it's nothing. Moreover Danny has a lot of work and I already suffer from claustrophia, I don't want to..."_

_"I'm sure he'd like to know what's going on" James cut her off, "he cares about you, I know it, I saw it, so tell him..."_

_"Look, if I see that man again, I'll tell him, I promise"_

"Oh Kate, why didn't you tell me?" Danny whispered.

"She didn't want you to worry about her" Martin told Danny, "Her boss feels bad now given what happened to kate. He didn't see the number plate but it was a Nissan" Martin added.

"When did it happen?" Viv asked.

"About a month ago..." Martin replied.

"Yeah, Frank had to be more careful after that, that's why Kate didn't see him anymore...What about agent Baker?" Jack said.

"He recognized no one and his description is as vague as the one of Kate's neighbors: brown hair, about forty, tall...he nevertheless remembered something: he had a burn on his left hand" Vivian answered.

"Alright, we have a tall, brown-haired man with a burn on his hand. He's about forty, he's clever, cultured, sadistic, bold, mad and he holds a grudge against Danny and Victor Fitzgerald" Jack summed up.

"He's a father" Danny suddenly said.

"What makes you think that?" Sam asked.

"Something in the conversation we had. When he told me that Kate was maybe pregnant" he paused a few seconds, swallowing hard, "I was unable to say a single word and he added something like I know what you feel´" Danny replied.

"Yeah, that's true, I didn't notice" Jack said.

"How can a father do such a thing?" Sam shook her head.

"How can a human being do this..." Danny told her bitterly.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_4:28 p.m._

Danny stood up quickly and got sudden dizzy spells. The combination of anxiety and tiredness of these last hours began to get the better of his strength and he had to dip into his resources in order to keep standing. However he gave no sign of what he was feeling, he didn't want Jack to force him to rest.

"I'm gonna talk to Kate's parents" he said,"they must be waiting for the news even if there's not a lot to say..."

"Yeah do it, I think that would do them good to talk with you" Jack told him.

"I wouldn't be so sure" Danny murmured, leaving.

He then headed towards the rest room where the Buckley's were waiting impatiently for some news about their daughter. Kate's father wasa holding his wife tight against him and from time to time she let a tear out. Danny used to talk with victims' parents but now the situation was a lot different. He hesitated a few seconds then got a grip and stepped towards them. David Buckley looked at him, eyes filled with hope and Danny felt a pang in his heart because he knew he was gonna fall short of his expectations. He couldn't tell him good news or bad ones given he had no worthwhile information. How could he explain them that all they had for the moment was some fragments of description?

"Do you have a lead?" David asked him.

"Not exactly yet" Danny replied with downcast eyes.

"What do you mean, not exactly yet?" David frowned.

"We have a description of the kidnapper but it's so vague that it's practically useless..."

"So you have nothing! It's been hours since she disappeared and you have nothing!" Evy said hysterically.

"I...I..." Danny stammererd but she cut him off.

"Kate doesn't stop telling us how good you are at your job and you're not even able to find her. She's the woman who shares your life for goodness' sake, our daughter!!! What's the point of saving strangers if you can't..."

"Evy, Evy, stop it...calm down sweetheart" David caressed her arm and then turned his head to Danny, "Listen, Danny..."

"Don't bother, I gotta go. I'll keep you posted..."

He left the rest room very quickly, unable to bear their looks one more minute. He understood their resentment, he was also blaming himself for what happened to Kate, for being the cause of her kidnapping and for feeling so powerless and weak. As he was cursing himself, he bumped into Jack, who was on his way to Van Doren's office. Seeing Danny's expression, he forced him to stop.

"Hey Danny, what's the matter?"

"Nothing, I'm fine" Danny replied, his eyebrows frowned and his jaw clenched.

"Danny, talk to me, I can see something is wrong..."

"I told you I was fine" he replied abruptly and headed towards the bullpen. Jack stood there, with open mouth and his heart filled with worry.

_5:30 p.m._

Danny hit his keyboard in a fit of rage. Investigations led nowhere and time went by incredibly fast. Martin stood up to talk to him but Viv stopped him with her hand. It was useless for the moment, he needed to be alone. Danny closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, trying his best to regain his composure. As he started to calm down, his phone rang and his blood ran cold. He looked at the agent who traced the calls – he nodded and Danny picked up the phone.

"Taylor?"

"It's me..." Frank said with amusement as Danny sighed heavily, "Did you kill Victor Fitzgerald?"

"No"

"You should think about it Danny, there's not much time left. I have a question for you: how much time can Kate hold her breath?"

"I'd like to be alone with you if only for a few minutes..." Danny said angrily.

"That's all you have to say?" Frank laughed, "Come on Danny, I was expecting you to say something more constructive. Besides, I have to tell you that I don't like the tone you're using. Am I aggressive? No, so don't be. You're really bad-mannered, you know that? Must be the parents' fault, your father was a violent man, right?"

"You have fun, huh?" Danny said, his eyes darkening and his hand clutching the handset.

"I have a wonderful time, indeed. Alright, I just wanted you to know that I left you a little _souvenir_ in the fast-food near your workplace. You'll find it in the men's room..."

"And Kate?"

"Kate is fine. I suppose she must be a bit bored but she's fine...so far"

"I want..."

"You'll talk to her later. You have to understand Danny that it's me who make the rules. You won't hear from me before tomorrow morning, I'll call you early. Till then, I'm gonna spend the night with your lovely girlfriend, with no hidden motive, don't worry," he laughed spitefully, "well we'll see...I'm sorry to take my leave so quickly but I don't want to be caught. Our game wouldn't be so amusing anymore."

Danny laughed nervously hanging up the phone.

"Son of bitch!"

"What did he want?" Sam asked out of concern.

"What did he want?" Danny repeated irritated, "he wanted to make my life a living hell, as usual"

"..."

Danny sighed, "Am sorry Sam, I didn't mean to..."

"It's ok, I understand..." she cut him off gently.

"He's not far from here, I sent a team to the phone booth but..."Jack said.

"Yeah, it's practically useless" Danny finished his sentence,"He left me a little something in the fast-food nearby. I don't know what it is and I'm not sure if I want to know"

However, he didn't have a choice, he had to go over there, so he left the office with Jack. Five minutes later, they pushed the fast-food door open and some children's laughs reached their ears. A girl called Cassie was celebrating her 10th birthday with all her friends. She was surrounded with manycolored balloons and everybody seemed to have fun. Danny stopped a moment to look at 'em, so innocent, so cheerful...Would Kate and he live again these kind of peaceful and happy moments?

"Danny?" Jack turned round, thinking Danny was following him.

"Yeah, I'm coming" Danny replied absent-mindedly.

They entered the men's room and went in search of the souvenir left by Frank.

"He really found a lovely place for his treasure hunt" Danny said looking all around him.

"He should have gone unnoticed here, there's a lot of people" Jack said.

"He'll always win" Danny sighed.

"Don't say that, we'll catch him. He'll make a mistake and we'll be there" Jack said, trying his best to sound convincing.

"Can you promise me we'll manage to catch him before Kate dies?"

"You know I can't make such a promise..." Jack replied sadly.

"Yeah...I know..." Danny whispered and then frowned, his attention drawn to something on the floor,"hey I found it!"

He squatted down and picked up an envelope hidden near the pan. He opened it quickly, perfectly aware that anyway he wouldn't like its content. Jack saw Danny's face going pale and he gripped his arm to prevent him from staggering.

"Danny, breathe, breathe..."he said out of concern.

"I need to throw up... but what did I do to him to deserve that?"

He handed Jack the envelope and leant back against the wall trying to curb the nausea. Jack took an old newspaper page out of the envelope and clenched his jaw when he saw what it was about.

_Hialeah- An accident occured yesterday evening on the corner of 8__th__ Avenue and 49__th__ Street. The driver would have lost control of his vehicule and came off the road. He and his wife were killed outright but their son, 11, survived miraculously and was taken to the nearby hospital. He is still in a critical state._

Below the article, Frank had written a simple sentence:

_Do you want to have another death on your conscience?_

"How does he know?" Jack asked.

"I don't know, he should have delved into my past..."Danny looked at him blankly.

"I know it's not easy, Danny but don't let him win. He wants to break you but as long as Kate is locked up in that room, you have to stand the strain. I need you, Danny...Danny?"

Danny didn't answer and he kept staring at him with empty eyes.

"Bloody hell Danny! Shout, cry or hit something but please get a grip!"

"We need to interview the people in the fast-food, maybe one of them saw him or..."Danny said after a while.

"yeah, come"

They interviewed the waitress, who answered that she didn't really pay attention to the customers and that she hadn't notice anything unusual. They thanked her and got ready to question another persons when she called them back.

"Do you see the group of children?" she asked them.

"Mmmh mmh" Danny nodded.

"One of the parents has been taking pictures for an hour, maybe your guy is on one them. Who know?" she shrugged.

"That may be, thanks for your help, Sandra" Jack smiled at her, reading her name on her badge.

They then headed towards the children's table and spoke to Cassie's father.

"Excuse us sir, we're with the FBI" Jack said flashing his badge, "I'm Jack Malone and this is my colleague, Danny Taylor, can we ask you some questions?"

"Ehm...yes but what's going on, it's my daughter's birthday and..."

"Yeah we know and we don't wanna spoil her party..." Jack said.

"We are really sorry to disturb you but..."Danny added when the little girl cut him off.

"You are real cops?" she asked, eyes wide open with amazement.

"Yes" Danny smiled at her.

"You are gonna put my Daddy in jail?" she said, now worried.

"No, of course not sweetie. But my little finger told me it was your birthday, so we came to congratulate you."

"You saw it Daddy? They came for me..." she pulled on her father's sleeve.

"Yeah honey" he kissed her hair, "what if you went back to play with your friends, they must be bored without you"

"ok..."

Cassie's father watched her daughter head towards her friends and then turned his head to the two agents.

"So what can I do for you?"

"Ehm...we'd like to borrow you your camera" Jack said.

"I beg your pardon?" he frowned.

"You maybe inadvertently took a photo of one of our suspects..." Jack explained him.

"And you want me to give you my camera?"

"Yes, we'll give it back to you, don't worry 'bout that. We just want to look at the pictures, it's really important Sir, someone's life is at stake." Danny said with begging eyes, "someone I love" he added in a whisper.

_6:57 p.m._

Danny strode towards the tech room with the digital camera in his hand.

"What's this?" Mack raised an eyebrow.

"With a bit of luck, we're gonna find out who is Frank" Danny replied.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Frank sat down and put another tape in the video recorder. Kate had cut up the pages of the magazines and was folding them in a thousand different ways. Boredom had replaced anxiety and she tried her best to occupy her time. Frank took the microphone in front of him and spoke.

"Kate, I see you have fun..." he said.

Kate lifted up her head, leaving her origamis out for a while and shot a black look to the camera. She was a very sweet person but she could defend herself if she was pushed to the limit.

"I have a wonderful time! I made three paper planes, five boats and two sea horses. What about you, Frank? Do you have fun, watching me hidden behind your camera like the coward you are? Pervert!"

Frank clenched his fists. Except her mother, he had never let a woman treat him that way. Presently, he was sure: he'd take pleasure in seeing her suffocate. He started simmering with rage, she had to learn the rules.

"I'm certainly braver than your boyfriend. You should hear him when I phone him. He sounds so lost, it's pathetic. And you really count on him to save you?"

Kate assumed a indifferent air. In no way she wanted to show her feelings to her abducter. However, even if she trusted Danny, the last hours spent locked up in that room started getting the better of her courage.

"Frank, Frank" she said calmly, "If you intend to criticize Danny, don't waste your time and mine, I won't listen to you"

"Do you really think he'll come on a white horse to set you free?" Frank laughed.

Kate rolled her eyes and went back to her origamis, pretending he didn't exist. But what Frank told her next got her attention.

"I heard there will be changes in your life..."

"What do you mean?" Kate rose an eyebrow.

"A child changes everything, believe me..."

"H-how dd-do-do you..." she stammered as Frank smiled, satisfied.

"I took the liberty of looking into your purse and I found the pregnancy test. So you may be expecting a baby, congratulations! I told Danny as he's the father...is he, right?"

"Danny knows?"

"Yes and the news shocked him. He didn't sound really happy, I don't think he wants to be a father. Besides, I really wonder how he could bring up a child. An alcoholic with a past like his, I don't think he'll be a good father...What if he hit his kid?"

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Kate couldn't help shouting.

As Frank burst out laughing, she sat down in the armchair, hugging her knees to her chest and trying to hold back her tears. Frank wanted to destabilize her but she wouldn't let him do. However she couldn't help thinking about what he had said. What if Danny didn't find her? What would happen? How was Danny doing? Was she really pregnant? If so, how would Danny react? They had barely talked about this subject and she didn't know if Danny wanted to be a father. She sighed in despair, wondering when she would break down.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

A hand put on the back of Mack's chair, Danny was looking at the computer screen.

"Something interesting?" he asked.

"There are 136 photos Danny, I love memory cards...I'm gonna examine 'em one by one but it'll take some time..."

Danny wanted to reply We don't have time´ but he refrained from doing it. He knew that everybody was doing their best, even more.

"Good...I...I...thanks Mack"

"It's ok, if this bastard is on one of these photos, I'll find him"

Danny made a slight smile and left the tech room. As he was going through the door, Mack called him back.

"Hey Danny!"

"Mmmh mmh?"

"We're all with you, man"

Danny nodded and threw him a grateful look. Then he headed towards the bullpen and almost bumped into Victor Fitzgerald. He looked at him and suddenly an awful idea crossed his mind. What if...He shook his head, how could he think about this? He was the Deputy Director of the FBI, Martin's father and anyways, he would never have been able to kill someone in cold blood. However, he was horrified to see that he had actually thought about doing it.

"Agent Taylor..." Victor Fitzgerald said.

"S-Sir" Danny replied, looking down.

"I heard you were supposed to kill me"

"Yes...but I won't do it."

"Oh that's very kind of you"

In other circumstances, this kind of dialog would make him laugh but the situation was so awful that he just smiled sadly. The cold and piercing look of Martin's father really made him shudder. That man had the knack of commanding respect and fear from other persons. Only Jack Malone and sometimes Martin dared to stand up to him.

"Where is Jack Malone?" he asked Danny, his eyes still locked on his.

"In the bullpen, I was just heading to"

When Danny stepped towards his colleagues' desk, followed by Victor Fitzgerald, silence fell in the room. Martin looked him straight in the face and sighed slightly. He had always wanted to be treated the same way as the others but everytime Victor Fitzgerald came to the missing person unit floor, he felt like he was nothing but the son of the Deputy Director of the FBI. Moreover, he had never really had a friendly relationship with his father. He secretly hoped it could change but he doubted it. Coming up to him, he held out his hand.

"Dad"

"Son"

"What are you doing here?" Marting frowned.

"Your boss called me and I came as soon as possible, where is he?"

"I'm here Victor" Jack said, stepping towards him and holding a pile of files in his hands. He put it on Danny's desk and the two men exchanged a long look. Anyone in the room could have said they didn't like each other. They shook hands politely and then looked away.

"So someone wants to see me dead..." Victor said.

"yeah, it's just to make Danny suffer" Martin replied.

"What do you mean?" he father asked, "Agent Malone didn't give me many details on the phone. All I know is that a man is putting pressure on Agent Taylor to kill me", he turned his head to Danny, "What kind of pressure is he putting on you?"

"He kidnapped my girlfriend and threatens to let her suffocate if I don't respond to his demands" Danny said with downcast eyes.

"Oh" Victor only said.

They explained him the situation in details during several minutes, then Mack came and spoke to Danny.

"Danny, I maybe got something"

"Really?" Danny asked full of hope.

"Don't rejoice too fast...Come with me"

In the tech room, Mack showed some photos to Danny.

"Most of the photos are useless but on those ones, a man can be seen. Look near the men's room, it's him. He's hiding his face, you see his hand?"

"It's burnt, that's him!"

"Yeah, he never shows his face but we can see his neck in the reflection of the glass"

"And?"

"He has an army ID tag around his turtleneck. But I'm sorry, it's impossible to read what's written on it"

"So he's a soldier and proud to be it"

"yes. That's all I have, sorry..."

He got back to the bullpen and told his colleagues the last news. They had now to check the Army's files. Victor went out of the bullpen and headed towards an office as Danny sat down on his chair, a shadow coming over his face.

"Hey brother, are you OK?" Martin asked him from his desk.

"It's 7:45, it's been a day Martin, it's been a day..." he whispered.

Martin stepped towards him and squeezed his shoulder affectionately. He said nothing, knowing words were useless. Jack looked at the dark circles under Danny's eyes and shook his head.

"Danny, go home and take some rest" he told him.

"No Jack, I..."

"This is not a request, Danny" Jack said sternly, "I want you to go home. Frank won't call before tomorrow morning and you need some serious sleep. You barely stand, you're not very useful in that state. So go home and take Kate's parents with you, they also need rest."

"Ok..." Danny said reluctantly and stood up.

Twenty minutes later, he arrived in front of his building, which was watched by two plain-clothes policemen in an umarked police car. He nodded slightly to them and went up to his apartment, followed by Kate's parents. They had kept quiet all along the way and Danny hadn't felt like starting the conversation, not feeling strong enough to bear their reproaches. He opened the door and let them in. They had never come to his apartment before and he had never thought it would be in such circumstances.

"Ehm...make yourselves comfortable...I...ehm...Do you want some coffee, tea?" Danny said.

"Some tea please, thank you" David replied.

When Danny came back with two cups of tea, Evy spoke:

"What happened here?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

She pointed out the fragments of the vase and the content of the coffee table scattered all over the ground. Danny hastened to pick them up.

"After Frank called me, I kinda lost my head..." he explained them.

"Yeah, I understand" Kate's father replied simply.

They kept quiet during a moment, not knowing what to say. After several minutes, unable to take the silence any longer, David asked Danny where his wife could take some rest.

"We don't have any spare room but you can go to our bedroom" he told Evy, "it's this way and the bathroom is that way"

"Thanks" Evy replied, then took a frame on the sideboard and looked at the picture, eyes misted with tears. Kate was lying on the grass, her head put on Danny's chest and she was roaring with laughter.

"I can hear her laughter" Evy said, tears streaming down her face.

"Yeah, she has the most infectious laughter I know" Danny managed to smile.

"I'm sorry Danny, I was unjust to you. I know you're suffering at least as much as we are...But it's my baby and I..." she was unable to finished her sentence because of the sobs. Danny hugged her gently and then she headed towards the bedroom, leaving Danny and his husband alone.

"Evy is strong but she lost a child before, she couldn't bear to lose Kate...Not me either." David said.

Kate had told Danny about his brother's death and how hard it had been for her and her family. He could imagine what Kate's parents were feeling right now.

"I understand perfectly" Danny said.

"I think I owe you some apologies..."

"No, you don't, it's Ok" Danny looked away.

"Come and sit down with me, I'd like to tell you something"

"Ok" Danny replied sitting down next to him.

"I've never liked Kate's boyfriends. I remember I frightened the first boy she brought home so much that he didn't dare to go along our street anymore" he said with a slight smile," then she grew up and went to New York. One day, I had a call and she told me she had met the man who made her happy and whatever my opinion, she wouldn't let him go. Then I met you and I liked you immediately. You're a good person Danny and I'm glad you two are together."

"What happened is all my fault."

"Your job is dangerous but it's not your fault...That Frank guy is crazy, it's his fault but we put the blame on you because it was easier for us to have a real person to blame. I'm sorry..."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, I feel responsible for what happened, I didn't see it coming, I was unable to protect her and now my worst nightmare became reality, she's missing..."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Danny rubbed his face, his eyes staring into space. He then turned his head to David Buckley but he couldn't hold his gaze, feeling too guilty to look him in the eye.

"I...I need to go somewhere, I'll be back in a hour or so." He finally said.

Kate's father nodded, knowing where he intended to go, he knew he fought alcoholism. Danny got out of the apartment and walked as far as the building where the AA meeting was being held. It was extremely cold and he started shivering and coughing strongly. Arrived in front the building, he climbed the stairs to the first floor, slowly opened the door and stepped inside silently. The meeting had already begun, so he settled down on a chair in the back of the room and listened to the accounts, never saying a word. As the meeting was drawing to a close, everyone scattered; some went home and others started talking over a cup of coffee. Danny chose the last option and poured himself a cup of coffee with shaking hands. He felt someone put a hand on his back and turned round, startled. When he saw who was standing in front of him, he sighed slowly.

"Hi Mike..." Danny said barely audibly.

His sponsor looked at him worryingly. Danny was shaking all over, he looked drawn and his face expression frightened him. He had already seen him like that, some years beforehand, in his worst times.

"Hey Danny, you look like hell, man"

"Yeah I know..." he whispered.

"You've gone back to drinking huh?" Mike asked him straight off, he hated to beat about the bush.

Danny didn't answer but shook his head in denial. Mike gave him a skeptical, although supportive look.

"Really! You know me, I've never lied to you, even during the withdrawal period..." Danny looked at him.

"Yeah, that's true, you've always been honest with me" Mike admitted.

"But you can't imagine how much I need a drink right now" Danny rubbed his face, "I dunno how long I could hold on"

"Why didn't ya call me?"

"It's complicated...I couldn't"

"Rafi got into trouble again? I know the problems with your brother affect you a lot..."

"No, Rafi is clean, it's..."

"Kate? You two have fallen out?"

"No, not at all, we love each other, we're happy. I've changed since I met her, she gave me peace and now she's..." Danny said with sad eyes.

"She's what?" Mike asked gently. Obviously, he needed to talk.

Danny sat down on a chair and buried his head in his hands. He wished he could break down and let the strain go by but he couldn't. Not now. His sponsor squatted down in front of him and waited for him to talk. Danny took a moment, then told him everything with a cavernous voice. After hearing the whole story, Mike kept quiet for awhile. He had been Danny's sponsor since the beginning and had helped him to overcome many difficult situations, but he wasn't prepared for that kind of things. But he had to be there for him, so he took a deep breath and squeezed Danny's shoulder.

"Kate is in danger and I'm here, fighting my old demons, I'm really useless..." Danny said as tears were stinging his eyes.

"No, you're not but you'd be no use to her if you went back to drinking. As long as there is a hope, you have to keep fighting, man. I know it's difficult, I know that bastard hurts you and I know you're scared stiff but you have to hold on. One thing at a time. I'm gonna stay by your side as long as you need me, then you're gonna look for her and find her."

"We don't always find them alive Mike, if-if she dies, I-I-I won't be strong enough, I won't be able to overcome it..."

"I know, man" Mike said simply, then added,"But don't think about it now. She's still alive and she needs you and I'm sure she's holding on because she knows you're there for her. The first time I saw her, I knew you were the man of her life. Just the way she looks at you, it's obvious she's deeply in love with you. I know you can get a grip Danny, I trust you and so does Kate."

Danny breathed deeply and stood up.

"You're right, I won't find her by complaining..." he said putting on his coat.

"I hate to let you go in that state..." Mike said out of concern.

"It's OK, I won't do anything stupid. Thanks for support Mike but I gotta go."

"Yeah sure. You have my number, huh? Don't hesitate to call, anytime...and keep me posted"

"I will"

They embraced each other and then Danny left the room, under Mike's thoughtful look. He wouldn't sleep that night either. Danny went back to his apartment by the same way he had come. The temperature had fallen again but he no longer felt the cold. He opened his apartment door and the first thing he saw was Kate's father asleep on the couch. He put a blanket on his shoulders and headed for the bathroom. After showing and changing, he wrote a short note for the Buckley's and went out again.

_Mr. and Mrs. Buckley,_

_I went back to the office to continue the investigations. I can't stay here waiting. Make yourself at home. I call you when I hear anything new._

_Danny._

He arrived at the office half an hour later. As he was striding towards the bullpen, he saw Jack in the hallway.

"What are you doin' here?" he asked him curtly.

"You know what I am doing here. You didn't really think that I was gonna stay in my apartment and wait, did you?"

"Look at you, Danny. You're pallid and you can barely stand on your feet. You can't do much in your state..."

"But I have to!"

"Van Doren didn't want you to work on her disappearance, I had to convince her. Now if she sees you like that, she'll send you back home. You're too tired, we can't take the risk that you do something stupid..."

"Like what?"

"You know what I mean Danny, you're exhausted, you have frayed nerves...If you lose your temper with a suspect..."

"yeah, but you see, we don't have any suspects!"

"Danny, listen to me..."

"No YOU're gonna listen to me. Rules can be got around but only when it serves your own interests. Did you stay home waiting when Anne was kidnapped? No, you didn't. What if it was one of your daughters instead of my girlfriend huh? Would you stay home waiting, Jack?" Danny rose his voice and then left Jack without looking at him. He hated arguing with him but tonight it was the least of his worries. When he came in the bullpen, all the eyes focused on him. His face expression triggered a sudden burst of maternal instinct in Vivian; like everyone, she hated seeing him in that state. He sat down silently as everything around him seemed unreal, his mind being hazy due to the exhaustion. Sam made her chair roll towards him.

" I suppose it's useless to convince you to rest"

"..."

"OK...we're checking the Army's files, maybe you'll recognize someone" she said.

"Yeah, I'm gonna look at the pictures"

"I'll bring you some coffee" Martin told him.

Danny watched carefully each face during two hours then tilted his head back and rubbed his eyes.

"Nothing, there is nothing."

"Are you sure?" Jack asked him, sitting on the edge of his desk.

"Yes I am sure!" Danny replied aggressively,"I cheked every file and no one in them is likely to do such a thing to me."

"Maybe you should give your brother a call."

"Why?" Danny rose an eyebrow.

"This Frank seems to know lots of things about your life...Maybe Rafi..."

"What? You think Rafi could be involved in Kate's adbuction?" Danny cut him off angry, "You must be out of your mind! Alright, he's not an angel but he'd never do that, he's my brother for God's sake!" he was now shouting.

"Danny calm down OK!? I never said he was involved but inadvertendly he may have told someone some things or he could have noticed something unusual for the last few weeks."

Danny looked at him then took his cell and dialled his brother's number.

Rafi grumbled, hearing the phone ring. Who could call them so late? He turned over to look at his wife who was sleeping peacefully. Since Daniella's birth, Sylvia was really exhausted and she took advantage of the rare quiet and peaceful moments to get some rest. He turned on the bedside lamp and then headed quickly towards the living room to answer the phone. When he heard his brother, his heart started beating faster; by the tone of his voice, he could tell something was wrong.

"Danny, what's going on? It's past one..." Rafi said.

"I know, I'm sorry...I didn't wake Daniella, I hope?"

"No, it's ok, she's sleeping, for once! But what's happening to you, Danny? Last time we talked, you told me you had trouble and now you're calling me in the middle of the night..."

"I'd like to ask you something"

"yeah sure, go ahead"

"I know it can seem strange but haven't you noticed anything unusual lately? Have you been followed or asked questions about your life? Have you talked about our past with someone? What about Nickie and Sylvia, have they seen a man hanging around them?"

"Wooow wooow wooow Danny, you're worrying me. Tell me what's going on, if someone wants to hurt my family, I want to know it!"

"No, it's just that...Look, briefly, a maniac uses people I love to put pressure on me ..."

"Kate"

"Yes" Danny murmured closing his eyes.

"What did he do to her?"

"He kidnapped her"

"Oh God Danny" Rafi whispered

"We're looking for her, but we have nothing so far, not a single clue."

"Huh...I-I haven't noticed anything strange and I'm always on my guard, you know that...As for our past, only Sylvia knows, I'm like you brother, I buried everything deep down inside me. But what does that man want? Why did he choose you?"

"I can't explain you right now Rafi, but if you remember anything, tell me please"

"Sure, do you want me to come?"

"No, stay with your family, I wanna know they're safe"

"I'll protect 'em, don't worry. Listen, I know I suck as a brother but I can't bear the thought of you being hurt, if you need anything, let me know..."

"Yeah, gracias...I gotta go, bye Rafi"

Danny hung up leaving Rafi worried sick. The following hours went by incredibly fast and they soon reached the morning. Danny had an excruciating headache so he rested his forehead in his hand and closed his eyes for a moment. When his elbow slid off the desk, he woke up all at once. Jack came up to him and handed him a glass of water and an effeverscent aspirin. He talked to him kindly even if Danny had been aggressive with him during the night. He could imagine what he was feeling.

"It's for your head. Go and get some rest Danny, you can take the couch in my office"

"I..."

"Don't even try to convince me, you haven't slept for more than 48 hours, I want you to have some sleep"

"Frank told me he'd call early, I need to he here to answer the phone"

"I'll wake you up. Now you're gonna listen to me and do what I say!"

Danny didn't argue. Jack was right, he has to catch up some sleep, he was too exhausted. He swallowed the aspirin, loosened his tie knot and walked like an automaton towards Jack's office. He lay down on Jack's leather couch and fell asleep right away. When he was woken up just an hour later, he felt a nausea of tiredness came over him and wondered where he was. However what Jack told him brought him back to reality.

"It's him"

_8:50 a.m._


	15. Chapter 15

****

Thanks so much for the nice reviews...

**Chapter 15**

Danny was now under intense stress. His headache hadn't gone away, he was both physically and mentally exhausted and the next hours seemed unsurmountable to him. He ran a hand over his face and got up as Jack was bringing him his phone.

"You can answer from here, the call has been diverted on my line. Listen to me, you have to be the attacker, you must push him to the limit, don't let him take advantage on you. He won't kill Kate before the appointed time, he wants you to suffer to the end. Can you do that?" Jack told him looking deeply into his tired eyes.

Danny nodded silently and picked up the phone. He clenched his fist unconsciously when he heard Frank's voice.

"Good morning Danny, did you spend a good night? I almost waited, would you have fallen asleep though your Dulcinea is in distress?"

"Let me talk to Kate, now!" Danny said by way of good morning.

"Yes-no, yes-no, yes-no, that will be a no!" Frank told him amused.

"Nothing proves me she's still alive..."

"Indeed, you'll have to take my word for it. By the way, I know someone who is still alive and it's regrettable. I have to tell you that I've been very disappointed not to have heard about Victor Fitzgerald's death...You do know you don't have a choice, it's him or your cute girlfriend."

"I said: let me talk to Kate!"

"What an aggressive tone! I am shocked...I couldn't put you through to her right now, she's not here and anyway I don't want to"

"You know what you are, Frank? You're a pervert and a coward. You're looking for someone to blame for your miserable life? Big news, it's not me, or Kate, or the poor cleaning man you killed! You're the only one to blame. You are sick and pathetic, you are nothing. Now, I wanna talk to Kate!"

"Danny, I already told you, I am the one who dictates the rules of the game..." Frank said trying to keep his cool.

"If you want me to keep playing, you'd better put her through. Call me back."

And he hung up. He stared at the phone during several seconds then lifted up his eyes to Jack.

"Are you sure it was the good solution?" he asked him.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

Frank started seething in rage, Danny had managed to make him fly off the handle. He didn't expect this kind of reaction and the hatred he felt towards the young agent started to reach its height. He would have wanted to hear him beg, to hear him cry but obviously, he was misjudging Danny. Breaking him wasn't so easy. He went away from the pay phone and wrapped himself up in his coat. He has hated the cold since his mother had forced him to stay outside in underwear. No matter how much he had cried and begged his mother, she hadn't let him in. She had told him it was for his own good, that it would form his character. However, he had always loved her despite what she had done to him. She had taught him everything and had made him stronger. He got back to his car parked a few meters away and moved off, thinking about what he was gonna do. He was still holding all the aces and even if everything didn't happen as planned, it didn't matter that much. He was going to improvise.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

After dozing off for a while, Kate woke up. She was really thirsty and felt dizzy. She looked at her watch and saw it was past 9. Not seeing the daylight, she had lost track of the time and she was no longer sure if it was day or night. The only thing she was sure about was that she was eager to get out of that place.

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Frank's call could have been located, but one more time it was useless. He had already left the pay phone. Danny wondered if he had made the right choice and now he was waiting impatiently for Frank's next phone call. What if he killed her sooner than planned because of him? What if he hurt her? He shook his head, trying not to think about it. He had to trust Jack. He sat down at his desk, feeling sick because of the headache. His eyes were smarting and he couldn't stand the light of the room anymore. He unbutonned his shirt collar and closed his eyelids, his heart beats playing Tam-Tam in the right side of his head. Some Kate's pictures appeared in his mind. He saw himself again two months ago.

_Danny unlocked the door of Kate's apartment and came in. The first thing he heard was a melodious music coming from the bedroom. He put his keys down and headed towards the origin of this nice sound. Kate was sat on the bed, playing guitar, totally unaware of Danny's presence. He leant against the door frame and watched her, a grin playing over his lips. He found her beautiful concentrated on her music, her undone hair falling over her shoulders. When she started to sing, his heart began beating faster. Everytime she sang, nothing else seemed to matter to him._

_(8)Will you stay with me, will you be my love_

_Among the fields of barley_

_We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky_

_As we lie in the fields of gold(8)_

_Kate loved Sting and till now, Danny had never realized how beautiful this song could be. Kate lifted up his eyes and met Danny's gaze. "I love you" he whispered, unable to say anything else. She smiled, put her guitar on the bed and stepped towards him. She wrapped her arms around her waist and put her head against his chest. He kissed her hair, smelling his sweet perfume. _

_"What if we lived together?" he murmured to her ear._

_She raised her head, a smile lighting up her face._

The excruciating pain he was feeling brought him out of his daydream. He massaged his forehead with the tips of his fingers as Vivian looked at him worryingly. She didn't talk to him but stayed by his side, refusing to leave him alone. The others continued the investigations, checking each file one by one. An hour passed by and Danny felt more and more stressed, not hearing from Frank yet. Jack was worried as well but he kept an impassive face, he didn't want to show his real feelings to the team, especially to Danny.

When Danny's watch displayed 10:20, the phone started ringing and everyone went silent. Danny swallowed hard and pushed the speaker button on.

"Frank?" he said coldly.

He heard a microphone noise, then Frank's voice but he wasn't speaking to him. "Speak" he said aggressively then, a few seconds later, he heard her.

"Danny?"

A feeling of relief came over him when he heard Kate's voice. Some tears welled up in his eyes but he held them back.

"My love, how do you feel? Are you hurt?" his said with a broken voice.

"No, I'm fine...I mean, I'm unhurt. I'm locked up in a room, there is that man who is talking to me and I don't know what's going on. What does he want? He said you did something wrong and that you have to pay. Danny, tell me what's going on..."

Although Kate was doing her best to hide the fear she felt, her voice was tinged with anxiety and it was breaking Danny's heart. Trying to sound convincing, he answered her.

"I'm gonna deal with it honey, I promise you. I'm gonna get you out of here, you need to keep faith. This nightmare will be soon over..."

"I trust you but..."

Her voice cracked and Danny had to bite his lip not to cry.

"I-I-I can't take it anymore, this room drives me mad. There's no window...I haven't had any anxiety attacks so far, but I really need some air..."

Obviously she didn't know about her situation, which relieved Danny a little. He couldn't imagine how she'd react if she knew she might die from suffocation. As he got ready to calm her down, he heard Frank say that the conversation was over. Danny yelled.

"Noooo!!! Frank, let me talk to her. Kate, Kate...I love you."

"Touching! But she doesn't hear you anymore"

"Frank, please, I'm begging you"

An intense and cruel joy took hold of him. He was begging him, this young arrogant agent was begging him. At last he was at his mercy. He grinned picturing the look of his face and after enjoying the moment for a few seconds, he answered him.

"You had what you wanted, now give me what I want. Victor Fitzgerald's death. Then, the three of us will be even."

"The three of us?" Danny repeated.

"Yes, I assume that Martin won't be too happy to see his father die..."

"Martin? What has Martin to do with it?"

"No more question. If I hear about Victor Fitzgerald's death before 7:45 p.m., I'll release Kate. Otherwise, you'll never see her pretty little face again, you understand?"

"Yes..." Danny whispered.

"Good, given that I don't intend to call you back, I'm going to say goodbye to you. I hope, in your interest and Kate's one, that you'll follow my directives."

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

Some minutes beforehand...

Kate startled when Frank called her name. She sighed, the last thing she wanted right now was to talk to that sicko. She pretended she didn't hear him and kept reading her magazine. The article seemed boring but nevertheless it was more interesting that another futile conversation with Frank.

"Kate? You don't want to answer me?"

She kept ignoring him, realizing that her attitude was a bit puerile but she didn't care. After all, she was the victim.

"I have Danny on the phone, do I tell him to wait?" Frank laughed.

She lifted up her head at once, leaving her magazine out.

"You really talk to Danny?"

"Actually, I was about to... I have the dial tone..."

Danny picked up the phone.

"Speak"

When she heard Danny's voice, Kate regained her courage. Since the day they had met in the elevator, she had always felt safe by his side. She wanted to be strong for him but the pressure of these last hours got the better of her and she started stammering. All of a sudden, Frank told her that the conversation was over and she yelled.

"Danny? Danny? You hear me? Dannnny?"

But only the silence answered her. She grabbed the cushion off the armchair and threw it across the room.

"Frank! Let me talk to him!" she shouted at him.

Silence. She took a deep breath, trying her best to calm herself down. She wished she could hear Danny one more time and tell him she was gonna hold on and be strong. Tell him she wasn't scared 'cause she knew he would come. Tell him she loved him. But she couldn't. Because of Frank.

"Frank!"

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After the phone call, everyone kept quiet. Suddenly Danny got up and pushed the contents of his desk aside with a sweep of his hand. Sam stepped towards him but Jack held her back. It was useless now, he had to let his anger out. Danny rubbed his face many times, then turned his head to the technician.

"He didn't call from a pay phone that time" he said.

"We couldn't trace the call..." the technician answered

"How come?"

"He made the call untraceable, I don't know how...this guy has skills in computing and electronics"

"There is really no way to trace the call? We're FBI, no?" Danny said irritated.

"We're gonna try but it could take hours..."

"We don't have hours for fuck's sake!, it's 10:30 and..."

"Danny! They do their best OK?, come and sit down..." Jack told him.

He managed to calm him down and Danny apologized to the technician. Meanwhile, Viv was looking at Martin with a puzzled look. He seemed thoughtful, his eyebrows frowned and his big blue eyes focused on Danny's phone. She asked him softly what was going on. When he answered, everyone turned around and stared at him.

"I know that voice"


	16. Chapter 16

_Well, I don't like this chapter but I needed to do it. It's a bit confused and boring but I promise the next chapters will be more thrilling._

**Chapter 16**

Danny looked Martin in the eye for a moment, stunned. Had he heard rightly? But his hopes faded away very fast: indeed Martin knew the voice but he couldn't tell whose it was. He had had a strange feeling during the phone call. He had already heard this characteristic timbre, this sugary tone but he was unable to recall where and when.

"He also holds something against you, maybe it's one of your father's acquaintances or someone we both busted..." Danny told Martin, who gave him a sorry look. He was perfectly aware of what was at stake, but he just couldn't remember.

"Martin! Please, make an effort"

"I'm doing my best, really!"

He sat down and started delving into his memory. Danny calmed down, knowing that pressurize him would do more harm than good. But Martin felt bad, really bad. He knew that the more he tried to remember, the closer the deadline got. Jack gave him the recordings of the conversations between Danny and Frank. Once again, he had this familiar and unpleasant feeling. He listened to the tapes many times as Danny clenched his jaw, he could no longer hear that voice. A hour later, Martin hadn't remembered it yet. He didn't dare to meet Danny's eyes anymore, being angry with himself not to be able to recall something so important. He lifted up his eyes to the white board on where the little information they had about Frank was written . About forty, brow-haired, a burn on his left hand...He listened to the last recording again as Danny stood up, he couldn't take it anymore. But as he was leaving the bullpen, he noticed Martin's expression.

"Martin?"

He didn't answer but shook his head, it couldn't be him, it was impossible.

"I think I know who he is but..."

"But what? Who are you thinkin' about?"

All eyes fell on Martin.

"Yesterday, we talked about an old case, that Frank guy who was killed in jail...I interviewed his father and do you remember how I told you that I found that man strange?" he asked Danny, who nodded, "I think about him when I listen to those tapes..."

"He died Martin" Sam said.

"I know but even if it's impossible, it's him. It's the same unpleasant voice, the same way of speaking. And I remember now, he had a burn on his hand."

"All the same, he died!" Danny exclaimed.

Jack kept quiet listening to the conversation. What was happening was totally crazy and he was eager to see the end of it. A happy end, he hoped. He stepped towards Danny's desk and borrowed his computer.

"What's the father's name?"

Sam found the file and answered he was called Gilbert Morrison. When Jack found out he was an ex-soldier, he started believing Martin. He read aloud the police report about his death.

"He died from drowning in Stone Harbor, New Jersey. The Coastguard recovered the body of the instructor who was teaching him to sail. He had a wound on his head, which caused his death. They never found Gilbert Morrison's body. After two days of research, he was considered as dead."

Jack looked at Danny, making him understand that they had maybe found the man they were looking for. The latter shook his head incredously.

"You don't really think it's him, do you? It's totally crazy!" he exclaimed.

"I know it is, but he's clever enough to have set up this..."

Danny stared at the face displayed on his computer screen. Gilbert Morrison's implacable cold eyes gave him shivers down his spine. That man really looked mad.

"So, it could be him..." Danny whispered.

Jack asked agent Baker to go up to see if Gilbert Morrison's face rang a bell to him. He answered that it could be him but he wasn't quite sure. Danny took his head in his hands.

"What did I do so wrong to deserve this?"

"He must blame you for his son's death. You arrested him and testified against him." Jack said.

"Yeah, but I didn't kill him!"

"What do you want me to say, Danny? This man is mad..." he said, then kept reading the file, "he was severely burnt in a military base fire and one year later, he was fired from the Army. Danny, I do think it's him..."

"Great! We're looking for a dead man now, what do we start with? Cemeteries?"Danny said.

Jack looked at him, a slight smile playing over his lips. Danny had always been sarcastic but he was right: knowing Frank's true identity didn't help them much. Delving into his personal life, Jack found out that Gilbert Morrison had a younger brother, Joshua. He noted down his address and lifted up his eyes to Danny.

"Frank...ehm...Gilbert has a brother. Come with me, maybe he knows something" he told him.

"Or is involved"

"yes. Martin, follow us"

_Noon._

Jack was driving fast towards Joshua Morrison's apartment as Martin was following behind, in another car. In spite of the icy cold that had fallen on New York city for a few weeks, Danny half-opened the window. He rested his head against the door and closed his eyes, feeling the cool air caressing his face. He hadn't slept for two days but adrenalin kept him awake.

"You stand the strain?" Jack asked him concerned

"Yeah, I'm ok..."

He had answered automatically, as he used to do - he didn't want his boss to see him suffer. Jack wasn't fooled but said nothing, he knew too much his young agent's pride.

"And your head?"

"It begins to get better" he lied, "I just need some fresh air"

"sure"

Twenty minutes later, they arrived in front of Joshua Morrison's building. As he wasn't there, they flashed their badge to the caretaker, who opened the door of his small apartment. There were lots of pictures of him and a woman as well as good-looking young man. Danny took a frame, frowning, it definitely wasn't Frank who was on the picture. He turned around and showed the frame to the caretaker. She was a real chatterbox with a nice face and piercing eyes.

"Do you know who he is?" Danny asked.

"Oh yes, it's Mr. Morrison's son. The poor man, he went through so much...First his nephew who got killed in jail, then his brother who drowned shortly afterwards and finally his son and his wife who tragically died in a car accident...You know, it's a really nice man, we often have long conversations and as I lost my husband several years ago, I can understand what it is to be alone..."

"Haven't you noticed anything unusual recently, like a change in his behaviour? Has he had visits?" Martin asked.

"I don't know what you're looking for but don't expect me to speak ill of Mr. Morrison. Ask anyone here and they will answer that he's kindness itself. He's always ready to help, he always has a kind word...When he's not at work, he writes poems, surely to let his pain out. I read some of them and it's beautiful. There's nothing like a broken heart to show the hard reality of life. My husband was also very creative, he used to paint in his spare time. Everytime I look at his paintings, I think about him and...

"Ma'am..." Jack tried to cut her off.

"...and I tell myself that he died too soon..."

"Ma'am" Jack sighed.

"...45 years old, can you believe it? A heart attack!"

"Ma'am!" Jack raised his voice this time, "Do you know where we could find Mr. Morrison?"

"He's at work. He's an accountant for a software company. I just can't understand, a man like him, so sensible, doing a job so mundane...that's not like him, he should be a writer or..."

Jack sighed again, wondering if she breathed between two sentences. They kept searching the room but found nothing. They thanked the caretaker and went away, being running out of time. They took their cars and drove towards the company where Joshua Morrison worked.

"Do you think he could be involved?" Danny asked Jack.

"According to the caretaker, he's far from being like a psychopath but they don't always look like monsters. Maybe he set up Kate's kidnapping with his brother, I don't know... We will know soon, we're here." Jack said.

They showed their badge to the receptionist. She told them where they could find Joshua Morrison and they headed towards his office. They knocked and a tall man opened the door. He looked like his brother but his look was a lot different. He hadn't the insanity that shone in Gilbert Morrison's eyes.

"What can I do for you, gentlemen?" Joshua asked.

"I'm agent Malone and these are agent Taylor and Fitzgerald, FBI. We'd like to ask you some questions, could you follow us?"

"FBI? What's going on?" he frowned.

"Follow us please..." Jack stared at him.

"Am I under arrest?"

"No, we just want to ask you some questions in our offices."

"What is it about?"

"Your brother" Danny replied.

A shadow came over Joshua's face.

"Let me take my coat"

_1:02 p.m._


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Both Vivian and Samantha watched Joshua Morrison walk to the interview room, followed by the three male agents. Danny's face was tense and with his loosened tie and stubble, he looked like more of a tramp than an FBI agent. In the interview room, Jack asked Joshua to sit down and then turned his gaze to Danny.

"Danny, you stay outside...", his tone wasn't aggressive but very stern. Danny opened his eyes wide not understanding his decision.

"Jack, you gotta be kidding!"

Jack saw him to the door, a hand put on his shoulder.

"Let me talk to him alright? I don't want you to lose your temper and don't try to tell me you won't, you're very edgy. Believe me, I understand but I'm gonna interview him alone" he told him with the same stern voice.

Danny left shooting him a black look. He was mad at Jack even if he knew it was usual procedure and that he had acted for the best. But he couldn't help it, he was filled with anger and he needed to let it out. He headed towards the rest room and inserted a coin into the soda machine slot. As he got no drink, he started hitting the machine several times. Martin approached gently, pushed the button and a can of pop fell out. He took it and handed it to his friend.

"Why does it work with you?" Danny said irritated.

Martin shrugged smiling weakly. Danny looked down and popped the can open.

"Jack doesn't allow me to talk to Joshua Morrison."

"I think it's better this way, you know..."

"Yeah I know but I-I-I'm on edge. I'm mad at Jack, I'm mad at this stupid vending machine, I..."

"Hey Danny, it's perfectly normal. You're exhausted and under a lot of pressure. I wonder how you manage to hold on brother, I don't know if I could if I were in your shoes..." Martin sat down next to him.

"Does I have a choice?" Danny looked a him.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

Meanwhile...

Gilbert/Frank smiled as he put a tape in the video recorder. It was gonna be one of his best moments, he knew it. He waited a few more seconds, the wait being almost as great as the moment itself. As a child in front of a candy shop, he was full with excitement. He turned on the microphone and called Kate, for the last time.

Kate had fallen asleep, she could no longer keep her eyes open. She was deep in a strange dream when Gilbert's voice woke her up.

"Frank..." she said in disgust.

"I think it's time to tell you the truth Kate. My real name is Gilbert, Gilbert Morrison."

"Is that supposed to make you nicer?" she said sarcastically.

"I'm blaming Danny for my son's death, Frank and I'm going to make him pay" Gilbert told her, ignoring her remark,"he will know what it is to lose a beloved one..."

Kate frowned, worried.

"Are you gonna kill me?" she asked her throat getting dry.

"Me?? Noooo...the lack of air will do."

Her heart jumped in her chest. The lack of air.

"What are you talking about?" she said with shaking voice.

"Do you see the ventilation system? I've just shut it. This room being airtight, you will start suffocating in some hours...

"No, no, no, no..."

"You're not so brave anymore now..." Gibert laughed, "I think it's a goodbye, hold your breath"

Locked up. Airtight. Lack of air. Suffocate. She was living her worst nightmare.

Gilbert looked at her through the screen. The look she had had when she had heard the news had filled him with sadistic joy. He was gonna enjoy the moment a few more minutes then go home.

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"We have good reason to think that your brother is involved in a kidnapping" Jack began.

Joshua Morrison stared at him with weary eyes.

"Do...do you know that he died?" he asked.

"We thought he set up his death..."

"That's just like him" Joshua sighed, "and that would explain lots of things"

"What kind of things?" Jack frowned.

"A couple of weeks ago, I think I saw him on the street...Maybe it was him, maybe it was someone else, I don't know. I thought I was dreaming but I didn't want to check. I severed all links with Gilbert when Frank, his son, went to prison. He was as crazy as his father and I definitively turned my back on them and my past. You're suspecting me, right?"

"Yes I am, this is my job" Jack simply said.

"Whatever you think, it doesn't matter anymore now. My life can't be worse..."

"I heard about your son and your wife, sorry."

"By the caretaker I suppose. Talkative, huh?"

"Oh you noticed?" Jack smirked then became serious again, "where do you think you saw your brother?"

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

A few minutes later, Jack went back quickly in the bullpen. Sam stared at him with a puzzled look. Was it hope she read in his eyes? He handed her a sheet of paper and she noticed that his hands were shaking. They were under a lot of pressure and even Jack Malone couldn't hide his emotions.

"Could you find all the owners of a grey Nissan in that vicinity?" Jack asked.

"You explain me?"

"Joshua Morrison thinks he saw his brother in that neighborhood. He was carrying shopping bags. When you walks back from the supermarket, it means that you live nearby, no?"

Some minutes later, Sam called Jack.

"There are two owers of a grey Nissan in the neighborhood: a mother and a _Frank_ Mason. A coincidence, do you think?" she lifted up her head to him.

Jack shook his head, noted down the address and squeezed kindly Sam's shoulder before leaving the bullpen. In the hallway, he met Danny's eyes, who was coming back from the rest room.

"Danny, you come with me" he told him.

"And where are we going?" he retorted with a irritated tone. He couldn't help it. Soon, he'd become aggressive with everybody. The deadline was getting closer and he couldn't bear the pressure anymore.

"I think we found him." Jack said.

Danny stopped suddenly. He had been waiting for this sentence for hours. When he saw his face look, Jack put a hand on his chest.

"I want you to listen to me carefully. I'm taking you with me in case we find Kate. I don't want you to do something stupid, ok? You stay in the background and you let me deal with him. I know it's a lot to ask you but it's the only condition."

Danny looked deeply at him. Was he able to control himself? He didn't know but he didn't have a choice. He nodded as his heart didn't stop pounding. At last he was seeing the end of it. With shaking legs, he followed Jack to the car park and they took off at top speed. Police would meet them over there. Twenty minutes later, they had reached the building. Danny unholstered his gun as Jack put a hand on his arm.

"Remember what I told you." Jack said.

"I'll control myself Jack, I'm fond of her a lot more than of my revenge, believe me."

"Good."

He gave him a friendly little tap and they both went up to the third floor, followed by two policemen. Jack hammered at the door.

"Frank Mason? FBI!"

The man who opened the door was wearing a sadistic smile. Gilbert Morrison. It was him.

"Gentlemen, you impress me, I didn't think that you'd find me so soon. Danny, you're here, what a good surprise!" he said cheerfully.

Danny clenched his fist. In front of him was standing the man responsible for what he and Kate were going through. Danny stepped forward but Jack held him back by his arm.

"Where is Kate?" he asked.

"Kate? ...ehm..Kate..."Gilbert pretended to think,"Yeah, I remember, a brunette with a beautiful smile? Sorry, she's not here..."

Danny was sick and tired of his little games. He got free from Jack's grip, grabbed Gilbert by the collar and flung him against a wall.

"If you don't tell me where she is right now, I swear that..." Danny yelled at him.

Jack rushed at Danny and forced him to back off. Danny struggled, still shouting.

"I was sure he was a violent man. It's in his nature, just like his father" Gilbert said calmly, an amused look over his face.

"You shut up!" Jack snapped then turned his head to Danny.

"Are you cool?"

Danny didn't answer but rubbed his face many times. His boss then took Gibert's arms, crossed them behind his back and cuffed him.

"You should tell us where is Kate Buckley..."he said.

"Is Victor Fitzgerald dead?"

"No"

"What a pity for Kate..."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"Take him out of my sight" Jack told an officer as Danny started searching the apartment. It was pretty small and the decoration was rustic. He stepped towards the table onto which some papers, photos and tapes were piled up. Everything was about Kate and Danny, Gilbert had drawn up a list of information about their respective lives. Thus Danny found some police and social services reports from the time when he lived in Hialeah. He also found the death certificate of Kyle, Kate's brother. All of a sudden, he was glad that Gilbert wasn't in the room anymore because he felt unable to control himself. He was afraid of what he could do to him. Jack motioned him to come as the policemen packed the contents of the table.

Kate wasn't there.

_3:07 p.m. _

Gilbert smiled spitefully.

"Oh I can see I'm pretty popular around here, it's a pleasure to be recognized at his true worth" he said.

He knew that all eyes had been upon him since the moment he had stepped out the elevator. Jack had to restrain himself from hitting him. Like Danny he hadn't slept for hours and he knew he might explode any moment now. This case affected all the team because besides worrying about Danny, they knew and liked Kate a lot. Suddenly someone went out of an office and stared at Gilbert Morrison with cold and disgusted eyes. Victor.

"Victor, hello!" Gilbert said still smiling,"you look on top form, which means that a beautiful woman will die today, what a shame..."

Before Danny had time to make the slightest movement, Martin had held him back by his arm. As for Victor, he stepped towards Gilbert, looking daggers at him.

"You're a vile and cowardly person, you're as bad as your son.

When he heard those words, Gilbert's smile faded away.

"At least, he'll be avenged" he turned his head to Danny, "I suppose that you're the one who's going to interview me?"

"No, it will be me..." Jack said.

Danny raised his hands in surrender, it was useless to try to convince him. Jack then took Gilbert to the interview room, opened the door and pushed him inside. As for Danny, he headed towards the bullpen and put the last tape in the video recorder. He needed to know she was still alive, he needed to see her face but he wasn't prepared for what he saw. Gilbert had just told Kate that she was gonna die from suffocation.

_"What are you talking about?" she said with shaking voice._

_"Do you see the ventilation system? I've just shut it. This room being airtight, you will start suffocating in some hours..._

_"No, no, no, no..."_

_"You're not so brave anymore now..." Gibert laughed, "I think it's a goodbye, hold your breath"_

Danny could see sheer terror in her eyes. She started shaking all over and breathing very fast, casting frightened looks around her. She had managed to stay strong and brave but now she couldn't do it anymore.

_"No, no, Gilbert, let me get out of here, Gilbert!"_

_She started hammering violently at the door, then paced up and down the little room, still panting and finally ended up screaming._

_"Gilbert, you can't do it...please...Gilbert, please..."_

_Kate was breaking down completely. Her chest hurt and she felt like she was becoming mad, being totally terrified. Danny could imagine what she felt and it was killing him inside. He watched her struggle against her fear, powerless, a hand put on his mouth. Vivian, Sam, Martin and his father were also staring at the television screen, their heart beats increasing. _

_"Help, somebody help me!! Please, get me out of here, help!" Kate shouted desperately._

_She slid down the wall and cried, her head buried in her hands._

_"D-Daaanny, where are you, Danny..." she said between two sobs._

The video stopped there. Danny kept staring at the screen, murmuring her name. A tear trickled down his cheek and he wiped it away angrily.

"I'm gonna kill this son of bitch" he said, his voice filled with hatred.

Victor Fitzgerald stepped towards him and put a supportive hand on his shoulder.

"Try to calm down Danny" he told him, using his first name instead of the usual 'Agent Taylor', "I am aware of how hard it must be for you but you need to keep your cool. Especially now."

Martin looked at his father and for once, felt pride. His tone was friendly and his eyes were full of compassion. However Victor's words had no effect on Danny. He was beside himself and nobody could stop him anymore.

"Don't ask me that sir. I can't do it, d-did you see what he did to her? Did you see in which state she was?"

"Yeah and he will pay for that, trust me, he will. But till then, give Jack a chance. We don't really get along but it's a good agent..."

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

Meanwhile, in the interview room...

Gilbert Morrison had settled down comfortably on the chair, not seeming in the least intimitaded. He hadn't answered any of Jack's questions and was laughing at his threats. Jack made him stand up and slammed him against the wall. Gilbert gazed at him, an amused look on his face.

"What are you gonna do? Kill me? Hit me? Please, do it, I'm all yours..." he laughed.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

A few minutes later, Jack got out of the room and approached Danny and Victor.

"I couldn't get anything out of him, this man is crazy. He's not afraid of dying or being hurt..."

"I'll make him talk, believe me..." Danny's eyes darkened.

"It's useless Danny...We must find another way. Maybe he left a clue in his apartment or..."

"What if we don't find any?" Victor cut him off.

They started talking about what they were gonna do. The team began to check the things brought back from Gilbert's apartment and after a quarter, Jack let Danny talk to Kate's kidnapper. He knew he wouldn't control himself but they had no other choice. Besides he knew Danny wouldn't kill him as long as Kate was still alive.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

Danny entered the interview room and locked his eyes on Gilbert's.

"Danny, I was waiting for you, how do you feel?"

Violent images crossed Danny's mind.

"Where is Kate?" he asked coldly.

"You've been asking the same question for the past two days, it's boring."

Danny felt his heart beat in his temples as his migraine, which had died down, resurfaced.

"As I already told you before, Kate is locked up somewhere but she will certainly not die at 7:45"

"What do you mean?" Danny frowned.

"To be honest with you, I don't know when she dies. Maybe before that time, maybe after ..."

"But what are you talking about?" Danny yelled.

"Let me explain to you, it depends on how Kate would react. I shut the ventilation system about 1:00 p.m. . If she manages to control herself, she'll have enough air to hold out beyond 7:45 but, on the contrary, if she panics and consumes all the oxygen, she'll suffocate before that time. Besides she will breathe in her own dioxide carbon, which is pretty bad for health actually..."

Danny thought about the video tape. Kate was breathing very fast because of fear...

"Yes, I know, she's not saving her oxygen" Gilbert laughed.

Other violent images came to his mind.

"You're totally mad, you know that?" Danny shouted, "It must be hard to lose a son but I have nothing to do with his death! I testified against him, that's all I did. I didn't kill him!"

"Don't try to exonerate yourself. My son was innocent but you did all you could to destroy him"

"Your son had raped six teenage girls!" Danny yelled.

"You're lying! You're trying to find excuses but you are guiltly Danny. You're guilty of murder of my son and many other persons. How many people did you shoot at? How many people did you kill under the guise of the law? You're a heartless man and you must pay for it."

"It was self-defense!" Danny kept yelling, "Do you think I like shooting at someone? Do you think I'm not haunted by lives I took?

"Come on Danny, I watched you. I watched laugh with your friends, take your nephew to a Yankees game, kiss Kate...You smiled a lot for a haunted man. And as you didn't deserve happiness, I took it from you."

Danny got up, looked him straight in the eye and punched him hard. Gilbert fell to the ground, then stood up, his mouth covered with blood.

"Having fun?" he smiled.

"You're the one who loves killing. That's the difference between you and me, I take no pleasure in hurting people..."

"Really? Don't you dare telling me you didn't feel like hitting me? Tell me you didn't like it!"

Danny grabbed him by the collar.

"You don't deserve to be called 'human'. Now tell me where is Kate."

"No"

Danny unholstered his gun and put it against his temple.

"I won't hesitate to kill you, I'm a heartless man, remember?"

"You won't do it Danny, because I know where is Kate."

"What if I shoot at your knee?"

During a brief instant, Danny could read fear in Gilbert's eyes but it won't last.

"Right or left one, you choose" Gilbert smiled.

Danny shook his head. Never in his life he had met anyone so mad. Deep inside him he knew that Gilbert would see it through and that hurting him was pointless. Nevertheless he wanted to check. He put his gun back in its holster and started hitting him again and again. To his horror he realized that he did him good. Gilbert didn't even struggle, he merely laughed.

"I had told you were a violent man!"

Danny silenced him with another punch.

"She's going to die Danny!" Gilbert kept smiling.

Danny took his head in his hand and started pacing up and down the room.

"What if I killed Victor Fitzgerald?" he finally said.

"It would change everything. This man disgusts me and I want him dead. Besides you would go to jail, you would lose your friends, Kate, your job...Your life would be broken."

"You'd release Kate?" Danny clenched his jaw.

"Sure, it's the rules of the game, no?"

Danny kept quiet for a while. Was he able to do such a thing? He didn't know. What he knew though, was that Kate was gonna die soon. Her face came to his mind and he had to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. He wanted everything to stop, he wanted to find her, he wanted to sleep, he wanted his migraine to fade away, he wanted...

"Think about it Danny, it's the FBI Deputy Director or the gorgeous brunette who shares your life..."

"I couldn't do it..."

"What a shame..."

At this moment the wall telephone started ringing and Danny picked it up.

"mmh mmh? Yes...What? No, Jack..."Danny sighed, "Yeah, OK..."

He hung up and turned his face to Gilbert.

"You come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"Jack and his superior want to make a deal with you. Jack didn't say more..."

"There is a huge lack of communication between you and your boss." Gilbert smirked.

"Shut up"

They went out of the interview room and headed towards Jack, standing at the end of the hall. He was watching them with a tired look on his face. He knew that Danny had beaten Gilbert up but the worse was that he had let him do. When they reached the middle of the hall, Danny saw Victor Fitzgerald going out of one the offices. He turned his head to Gilbert.

"You can't imagine how much I hate you"

He then unholstered his gun, pointed it at Martin's father and fired. Victor collapsed outright and Sam rushed at him. She lifted up her eyes to Jack.

"He's dead"

"Daaaad!!!" Martin screamed, his eyes wide open, as Jack drew his gun, pointed it at Danny and yelled.

"Danny, drop your weapon, right now!"

Danny put his gun on the ground and slowly raised his hands.

"Martin I'm sorry, I am so sorry" he said, looking at his friend, who stood motionless in front of his father's body.

Gilbert couldn't believe his eyes, Danny had killed Victor Fitzgerald. He had never thought he would do it. His plan went better and better. He saw Danny turning his eyes towards him.

"Where is she?" he asked.

_4:24 p.m._


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Jack motioned Vivian to keep watch over Gilbert while he was pushing Danny's gun back with his foot. He then handcuffed him. Sam stood up and put her hands on Martin's chest, still shocked by what had happened.

"What's gotten into you Danny? Have you become mad?" Jack raised his voice.

But Danny wasn't listening to him, he was still staring at Gilbert.

"Where is she? I did what you wanted me to do, now tell me where Kate is!" he said.

As Gilbert didn't answer, Danny stepped towards him but Jack held him back, preventing him from approaching him. Beside himself, Danny struggled against Jack's strong grasp, yelling, as Gilbert started laughing.

"Tell me where she is you sick son of a bitch!"

"All right Danny, you've been a good boy so I'm going to tell you where you can find her. She's in a warehouse at an hour away from my apartment."

Jack felt Danny relax and asked Vivian to take Gilbert away. He then pushed Danny into an office and looked him straight in the eye.

"You got what you wanted" he said.

"Yeah, can you remove the handcuffs now? Please."

"Are you cool?" Jack kept staring at him.

"You're kidding, right?"

"You were out of control one minute ago..."

"He had to believe it..."

"And he did"

"Yeah and unfortunately so did Martin," Danny said sadly, "Did you see the look on his face? I can understand, it's not everyday that your best friend murders your father..."

"He will get over it, don't worry. I'm gonna see Gilbert and get the address..."

As he was heading towards the door, Danny hailed him.

"Jack! Don't you forget something?"

Jack smiled, motioned him to turn around and removed his handcuffs. Danny sighed, massaging his wrists. His shoulders were shaking slightly and his face was very pale.

"We're gonna find her Danny..." Jack said gently.

"Yeah, you're right, I just..."

"That's OK, take a minute, huh?" Jack replied squeezing his trembling shoulder.

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Martin got free of Sam's grip and knelt down, staring wide-eyed at his father. He didn't really know what he was feeling, not having realized yet. As he held out his hand to take his father's, he saw him move and open his eyes. Martin shook his head, he didn't understand anything anymore. He had seen Danny shoot at him and heard Sam say he was dead. When Victor unbuttoned his shirt to check his bulletproof jacket, he only understood.

_Half an hour beforehand..._

_"I'll make him talk, believe me..." Danny's eyes darkened._

_"It's useless Danny...We must find another way. Maybe he left a clue in his apartment or..."_

_"What if we don't find any?" Victor cut him off._

_"Do you see another solution?"_

_"Yeah, that Agent Taylor kills me.."_

_"I beg your pardon?" Danny said, stunned._

_"That's what Gilbert Morrison wants, no? As he simulates his own death we're going to beat him at his own game. Agent Taylor interviews him, comes back with him and then shoots at me. I'll wear a bulletproof jacket."_

_"It seems a bit simplistic and risky, no?"_

_"Yes but we don't have time for a more elaborated plan..."_

_they discussed the details during some minutes. They decided to only tell Sam about it even if Martin had to endure seeing his father 'die'. When they were ready, Danny headed towards the interview room but Victor called him back._

_"Agent Taylor"_

_"Yes" he turned around._

_"Don't miss me."_

_A few minutes later..._

_"Think about it Danny, it's the FBI Deputy Director or the gorgeous brunette who shares your life..."_

_"I couldn't do it..."_

_"What a shame..."_

_At this moment the wall telephone started ringing and Danny picked it up._

_"Danny?"_

_"Mmmh mmh"_

_"Everything's set up, you can bring him..."_

_"Yes"_

_"Tell him we want to make a deal. Pretend to be surprised and to disagree."_

_"What? Jack, no..."_

_"Good, it's gonna be alright Danny..."_

_Danny sighed, "yeah Ok..."_

All of this had been a set-up, a macabre set-up. Martin helped his father up, his heart still pounding because of the shock.

"I'm sorry Martin, the fewer people knew about it, the more credible it seemed..." he said.

"I am your son!! You had to tell me...God, do you know what I felt when I saw you lying on the ground, thinking you were dead?" he sighed, "Well, I'm glad you're alive..."

He embraced him awkwardly. Obviously signs of affection were rare in the family Fitzgerald. Victor held him a bit tighter against him but he soon let out a slight cry of pain.

"Yeah, I know, it hurts even with a bulletproof jacket. But trust me, it hurts worst without it..." Martin said, remembering the day he had been shot.

"I can imagine son" he looked down, "I had the scare of my life that day"

They looked each other, without saying anything. Suddenly they had become very close. At least, for a moment...

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Jack entered the room where Gilbert was. As soon as he went trough the door, Vivian rushed towards him.

"Where's Danny? I can't understand what happened. I know he's under a lot of pressure, I know he's scared but my God, he killed Victor Fitzgerald! It's horrible...Oh and Martin, the poor boy, it must be awful for him..." she said frantically.

"Yeah I know..."Jack frowned, "Go and see how he's feeling, he'll need your support."

"Sure" she said and he noticed that she had tears in her eyes.

As soon as she went out of the room, she saw Victor Fitzgerald at the end of the hallway. Alive. She understood right away.

Jack gazed harshly at Gilbert, who had still a cold sadistic smile on his face. He was happy, his plan went perfectly. His mother and his son could be proud of him.

"So, Danny lost it? I had told you he was a killer..." he said.

"He should have started with you" Jack retorted coldly.

"I'm sure if he could, he'd kill me. But I know where Kate is and he knows it. So he only gave me a beating, and trust me he liked it! Poor boy, he's so pathetic...Now that his life is broken, I feel a lot better..."

Jack felt his blood boil in his veins. He couldn't stand hearing what he said about Danny. But he had to control himself, so he took a deep breath, still staring at him.

"Where is Kate?"

"Do you have a sheet of paper?"

Jack handed him his note pad and Gilbert noted down the address they were looking for for the past two days. Jack took it from his hands, saying nothing and headed towards the door.

"You know, it's a beautiful woman, I like her. Give him my regards..." Gilbert said.

Jack shook his head, stunned by so much insanity. Gilbert burst out laughing.

"And would you mind telling Martin that I'm really sorry for his loss"

"Go to hell" Jack said then went out of the room. He asked an agent to keep watch over him and headed towards Danny. He got the address. The two men accompanied by Martin, who was still staggering under the blow, took their cars, turned on the flashing lights and took off at top speed. Jack asked that an ambulance meet them at the scene and as for Danny, he was staring at the road, hoping they could arrive in time. He still had in mind the image of Kate, scared, consuming all the oxygen. A little less than an hour after, they reached the warehouse. The ambulance had arrived and there was also an NYPD car. Danny, his heart pounding, got out of the car quickly, followed by Jack and Martin. They came towards the disused warehouse, smashed in the door and went down into the basement.

_5:42 p.m._

Only it was empty. No sign of Kate, no sign of life at all... There was only a small table, on which were put a vase filled with wilted flowers and a sheet of paper. Danny took it and read.

SHE'S NOT HERE.

Alone in the interview room, Gilbert was laughing.


	20. Chapter 20

_Once again, thanks for the reviews you let me..._

**Chapter 20**

Danny gave a howl that echoed in the warehouse basement. He took the small table and threw it so violently that one of the legs broke right away. Completely powerless, Jack and Martin silently watched him throw a tantrum. They couldn't do anything to help him as the situation seemed hopeless. They could no longer give him words of hope or encouraging looks, they didn't believe it anymore. All Jack could do was hold Danny, who after expressing his rage and pain had started staggering and shaking violently. Martin asked the policemen present in the basement to go back up, he didn't want them to see his friend in that state. He was worried sick for Danny and he knew that they most probably wouln't find Kate alive. Gilbert preferred to die rather than say where she was detained and there was no clue in his apartement. As for Mack, he hadn't found yet the origin of Gilbert's last call. Danny leant forward trying to get his breath back, then turned his head to Jack, who had still a hand on his shoulder to prevent him from falling.

"She's dead, Jack" Danny said with tears in his eyes.

"No Danny, she's still alive, there is...there is..."

He wished he could tell him that there was still some hope but he never managed to say it. Where was hope? Jack could lie but now he just couldn't. Besides Danny wouldn't have believed his lies, he looked like a man whose soul had been ripped off.

"Ok Danny, I'm not gonna lie to you. Kate is maybe already dead, maybe not. You know, if she had an anxiety attack, it's possible that she fainted. In that case she's consuming a lot less oxygen. As long as there is a little hope, you need to hold on. We're gonna come back and make him talk, no matters the means, this monster will talk. Hold up kiddo, hold up..."

_5:57 p.m._

Danny didn't answer. His chin was quivering and his pale face seemed even paler in the lighting of the basement. He eventually nodded and straightened up slowly as his eyes seemed to come back to life little by little. He wouldn't give up, not now. But he had not much strength left. He hadn't slept anymore for more than two days and apart from a sandwich ingested the day before, he hadn't eaten either. All of this combined with stress and emotion, he felt really weak. He sighed, wincing from the harsh pain in his head.

Jack watched Danny stand in front of him with, in his eyes, what was left from his willpower. Followed by Martin, they got back to their cars, Jack supporting Danny, who was staggering. All the policemen were staring at him and once again, Martin asked them to go away.

All along the way, Danny kept quiet gazing at his watch dial. He would never imagine he could feel so much hatred towards an object. Jack didn't know what to say. He had always found the words to talk to him, knowing him for a long time, but now words no longer came so easily to him. He recalled the last year they had spent together. Danny had gone through many difficult moments: Rafi's disappearance, Vivian's illness, the shooting...He also remembered how hard he had been on him and now he was sorry that a wall had been built between them. They hadn't the same relationship anymore and he suffered from it. He particularly liked Danny, he had always liked him since the moment he had entered his office for his job interview.

Even if Kate had helped Danny a lot during those dark times, it wasn't the same anymore. The distance that parted them seemed to grow everyday and he knew that if Kate were to die, he would lose Danny forever. He was angry with himself, why wasn't he able to find the right words, the words Danny needed to hear? Experience and his Degree of Psychology didn't help him this time, he just didn't know what to say. Danny was the one who broke the silence.

"If Kate..." he sighed, "if we don't find her alive, let me alone with him, please..."

Jack kept silent as Danny started to stare at his watch again, a gleam of madness flickering in his eyes. Whatever might happen, no one would come out of this unscathed, he knew it. He clutched the wheel tighter, feeling all of a sudden very tired. Not only physically but also mentally and psychologically. He wished he could regain his innocence but he had lost it long time ago.

_6:55 p.m. _

Martin had told Sam and Vivian the news so they expected Danny to be in a bad state. However reality was beyond what they had imagined. He looked like a ghost and Vivian's eyes watered with tears when she saw him. She gave Jack a helpless look.

"I'm gonna splash some water on my face..." Danny said, heading to the men's room.

Everyone watched him go away, then Martin stepped towards Sam and bent his head, his eyes staring into space.

"And I can do nothing to help him..."

He felt Sam take his hand in hers and he squeezed it gently. Jack was frowning, his head buzzing with thoughts.

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Danny had just splashed some water on his face. He stared at his image in the mirror, scared. Besides his pallid skin and the deep black rings under his eyes, his stare had become very hard. He took his gun and looked at it carefully, then he cocked it and went out of the bathroom. But instead of joining his friends, he headed towards the room where Gilbert was detained.

"Give me your gun, Danny..."

He turned around and saw Jack with his arms folded and a serious look upon his face.

"I'm not gonna kill him, just shoot at him..." Danny replied.

"It would be no use, you know it."

"It will relax me" Danny laughed nervously.

Jack sighed, still staring at him. Danny shook his head and handed him his gun.

"I'm becoming mad Jack..." he whispered with downcast eyes.

He was about to walk away when he had an idea.

"Joshua Morrison is still in our offices no? He could talk to him, they're brothers, he's maybe the only one who could convince him..."

"We can give it a try. I'm gonna ask him..."

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Joshua was waiting in one of the offices, reading the same magazine for more than an hour. An agent had told him earlier not to worry about the shots and he really wondered what was going on. When the door was pushed open, he lifted up his head and saw the agent who had interviewed him beforehand.

"Mr. Morrison, your brother is here..." Jack said.

"My...so, he's really alive?"

"Yes and we'd like you to talk to him"

"To talk to him? no no no no no..."

"Listen, we don't have a choice, a young woman's life is at stake and..."

"I understand, believe me I do but even if I agreed to do it, it would be no use. He doesn't like me, as for me, I hate him and I'm afraid of him.

"He's afraid of nothing but if he sees you, maybe it'll make him react...He abducted the girlfriend of one of our agents and locked up in a room underground. She may suffocate any moment now, so please, make an effort..."

"Locked up in a room, you said?" Joshua repeated, frowning.

"Yeah, he's filming her continuously. Look, we really need yo..."

"Do you have the tapes?" Joshua cut him off.

"Yes, we found some of them, why?"

"Can I see them?"

Jack took Joshua to the bullpen and rewound the tape that was in the video recorder. Sam gently put a hand on Danny's arm and motioned him to go out, she didn't want him to see it again. When Danny was out of the bullpen, Jack pushed the button 'play' and Kate appeared on the screen, in the middle of an anxiety attack. Joshua felt his legs give way beneath him and he had to sit down on the edge of Martin's desk.

"I know, it's awful..." Jack said.

"Yeah, but that's not the reason why I feel so bad. I know that place."

Silence fell on the room.

"I don't want to excuse Gilbert or anything but our mother was really cruel, especially with him. He's always loved her though. I loathed her and I was her favorite...well, whatever. The fact is that she used to inflict some torture on us and she often locked us up in a room in the cellar. Nobody ever knew about it. She died and our past was buried with her. The room in which this young woman is locked up looks exactly like the room in which Gilbert and I were locked up when we were kids." Joshua explained with shaking voice.

"In your childhood house?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, I never went back to that house. I inherited it but I didn't want it. And I never sold it, the money would have been cursed. Gilbert got the keys, he can go over there whenever he wants."

"The address?" Jack asked, his heart beating fast.

_7:19 p.m._

Jack approached Danny and told him everything. As if he had got an electric shock, Danny seemed to come back to life and he followed Jack to the car park. Before Jack had time to protest, Danny had settled down behind the wheel and turned on the flashing lights. He drove like a maniac towards Gilbert's childhood house and nearly caused an accident several times. Half an hour later, they arrived at the house. It was isolated and so gloomy that they felt shivers down their spine. There were an ambulance and two policemen waiting for them. Danny opened the door with Joshua's keys and followed by Jack and two paramedics, he went down in the cellar.

_7:50 p.m_

There was a table on which a tv set and a microphone had been put. Danny looked at the screen with terror. Kate was lying on the ground, motionless. He took the microphone and shouted her name many times but she didn't move.

"Jack, she's there" he said, pointing his finger towards a room closed by a metallic airlock, of which many electric wires were coming out. Danny swung the handle and opened the door. He then rushed towards Kate, pushed her hair away from her face and put two fingers on her neck.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

"She's alive!" Danny exclaimed out of relief, putting her head on his lap. However her pulse was very weak and she didn't wake up.

"Kate you hear me? It's me Danny...Wake up Kate, oh please baby wake up" his voice broke as he was shaking her gently. The paramedics rushed towards Kate and asked Danny to let go of her but he couldn't bring himself to.

"Danny, come on, let 'em do their job..." Jack said, making him stand. His eyes wide open, Danny watched the doctors work on Kate, totally powerless, as the room started spinning violently. He had already lived the same situation a year ago and the images of that night resurfaced in his mind. Lay on a stretcher, Kate was got out of the room and taken to the ambulance. She had been put under oxygen but yet, she didn't manage to regain consciousness. Danny got in the ambulance with her, never letting go of her hand as Jack was following behind.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

The tension could be felt in the MPU bullpen. The rest of the team hadn't heard any news yet and they all were imagining the worst. When Martin's cell phone started ringing, everyone held their breath. He picked up the phone and very soon a smile came across his face.

"They found her alive" he told the two women in front of him.

"Oh thank God!" Sam exclaimed.

She threw herself in Martin's arms, crying and laughing nervously as everybody in the bullpen sighed in relief. Still holding Sam, Martin turned his blue eyes to Vivian.

"Viv, can you call Kate's parents and tell them the good news?"

"yeah sure"

She smiled but her hands were shaking due to the emotion.

"I have something to do..." Martin told Sam and went away. He got out of the bullpen and headed towards the room where Gilbert Morrison was detained. He opened the door and Kate's kidnapper looked at him, with a spiteful smile at the corner of his lips. Martin sat down and stared at him silently, trying not to hit his ugly face.

"Martin what a good surprise, I missed you...I can call you Martin, right?"

"No, it will be Agent Fitzgerald for you..."

"OK Agent Fitzgerald...What are you going to do? Kill me? Hit me? I could understand, you know. Your father's been killed, Kate must be dead now and this poor Danny is probably crying his eyes out..."

He tipped his chair back on his rear legs, bursting out laughing. Martin stood up softly and stepped towards him, his eyes still locked on his. He then kicked the legs of the chair, causing Gilbert to fall over, and put a knee on his throat, almost preventing him from breathing. Before he had time to say something, Victor appeared, a serious look upon his face.

"Martin!"

"...Huh...listen, I..."

But Victor pretended that he hadn't seen Gilbert Morrison stuck under his son's knee.

"I was told the good news, so Kate Buckley is still alive, huh?"

"Yeah, she was taken to the hospital but...she's alive"

"I'm glad this story has a happy ending. I can't imagine how Agent Taylor, I mean Danny, must feel right now, this nightmare is at last over" he smiled truthfully, then added, "...ehm...Martin, you have something under your knee."

"Yeah, I noticed"

"Don't get dirty"

"I'd be careful" Martin replied with a smile.

"What about having diner with your Mum and me this Saturday?"

"I'd be glad to" Martin smiled, "really"

"Great, see you on Saturday then..." Victor replied leaving the room. Martin watched him go away then turned his eyes on Gilbert, who didn't understand anything anymore.

"It was my father but I think you know him. He looks great, huh? Kate is fine as well and Danny will be ok so, basically, your plan cocked up. You will go to jail, and trust me you sick son of a bitch, time will seem VERY LONG to you. Then you'll die alone, as you deserve and you'll go to hell, meet your son and your monster of a mother"

Martin stood up and left the room, satisfied. All he hoped now was that Kate was fine.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

Danny was pacing up and down the waiting room, waiting anxiously for news about Kate's condition. She hadn't woken up in the ambulance and he was very worried.

"Danny! How is she?"

He turned around and saw Jack coming towards him.

"I-I don't know, I don't have any news...Oh Jack, we found her, she cannot..." Danny crossed his hands behind his head, unable to finish his sentence. Jack approached him and squeezed his shoulder, trying to reassure him. A short while later, a doctor came up to them.

"Tell me she's fine..." Danny told him desperately.

"Yeah, she is, don't worry. She's suffering from exhaustion and she's dehydrated. She also has some slight carbon dioxide poisoning due to her confinement. She'll be okay, at least physically...Emotionally it's another story. She'll need you" the doc said to Danny.

"I'll be there, I will never leave her alone again..."

"Just one more thing, Mr. Taylor, you told the paramedics that she might be pregnant. We ran some tests and they turned out to be positive. Besides it's really surprising that she didn't miscarry considering what she has just been through"

"So, so...w-we...we're gonna have a baby?" Danny stammered.

"Yeah, congratulations!" the doctor smiled.

Danny started laughing out of joy as a tear was rolling down his cheek.

"Can I see her?"

"Sure, she's room 316 but she's sleeping right now. She really needs to rest so don't wake her up. I know you must be dying to talk to her but later..."

Danny nodded smiling but as he headed towards the room, his head started to swim and he staggered. Jack rushed towards him and helped him to sit. Kneeling down in front of him, the doctor took Danny's blood pressure, which was very low.

"When was the last time you slept?" he asked him.

"I can't remember..."

"The last time you ate something?"

Danny shrugged.

"You're in a bad state, you need to sleep and..."

"No, no, I need to see Kate"

"Listen to me, you're exhausted, you need some rest. I'm gonna give you some medicine to raise your blood pressure but if you don't sleep or eat, I can't do nothing for you...Stay here, I'm coming back."

Danny watched the doctor go away, then turned his eyes towards Jack. Suddenly he started shaking and some tears streamed down his face. Soon his tired and tense body was shaken by nervous sobs and Jack wrapped an arm around his trembling shoulders.

"Shhhh...It's over Danny, she's alright...It's okay son, it's okay..."

Danny thought he would be unable to stop crying but after a while, he managed to calm down and wiped his tears away with his sleeve. The doctor stepped towards him and gave him a pill and a soda to put some sugar in his blood. Danny thanked him then stood up very slowly, trying to prevent the dizzy spells.

"Jack, I owe you everything...If you and the team hadn't been there, Kate would...well, thank you" he looked at his boss with grateful eyes.

"Stop talking and go and see her" Jack replied smiling.

Danny smiled back at him and walked towards the room. Before entering, he removed his watch, looked at it with disgut and threw it in the garbage can. He then opened the opened the door and saw Kate, sleeping peacefully. He felt like crying again but he held his tears back. He stepped towards her and stroked her face softly, running his fingertips over her cheek, her lips and her jawline, not realizing yet that he had found her unharmed. Leaning over her, he kissed her forehead as a tear escaped from the corner of his eye. He then sat down on the chair next to her, took her hand for fear of losing her again and only allowed himself to sleep. Ten minutes later, the Buckleys entered silently their daughter's room.

_1:23 a.m._

Danny struggled in his sleep, screaming.

"Kate, you can't die...Kate!"

He felt a hand shaking him and he returned to reality. He opened his eyes and she was the first thing he saw. She was sat on the bed, smiling.

"You know, I don't intend to die..."

Danny didn't reply but kept staring at her, unable to take his eyes off her beautiful face.

"Hey, I'm waiting for the part where you kiss me" she exclaimed, still smiling.

Danny laughed, cupped her face and kissed her deeply and passionately, running his hand through her hair.

"How do you feel?" he asked after breaking the kiss.

"I'm fine, don't worry..." she tried to sound convincing.

"You don't need to be strong for me, baby, I know what you've been through..."

"I got the scare of my life..." her voice trailed off as she started breaking down.

"It's over baby...we arrested him, he will never hurt you again...shhh" Danny took her in his arms and held her close whispering soothing words to her ear. The hatred he felt towards Gilbert Morrison was far from diminishing.

"It's my fault..." Danny said when she finally calmed down

She gently pulled away from him and looked deeply into his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"If I hadn't arrested his son, none of this would have happened. My job put you in danger, you almost died and..."

"You're not responsible, Danny. This evil man kidnapped me, he's the only one to blame. You found me...I was sure you would come to save me" she smiled gently.

"If I had lost you, I..." his voice was nothing but a whisper.

Kate stroked his face and rested her forehead against his.

"I am here..."

He smiled and kissed her again as the Buckleys, who had left to grab some coffee, entered the room, glad to see their daughter awake. The reunion was filled with emotion, Kate's mother letting some tears out from time to time. She was very kind with Danny, thanking him again and again for bringing her beloved daughter back. Danny decided to leave Kate alone with her parents and stepped out of the room. Jack was still in the hallway, sat on a plastic chair.

"Hey Jack, you look like hell, you should sleep..." Danny smiled.

"I'm alright, how is she?"

"She woke up. Physically, she seems fine but for the rest, I don't know...She went through hell, Jack..."

"She'll need time, you both will need time."

Danny looked down.

"I'm gonna quit..."

"What? Danny, it wasn't your fault!"

"It's not only that. I would have killed him, really, I wanted to do it. I had never felt so much hatred and I don't wanna feel this again. I can't stop thinking about the people I killed, the people I hurt...Maybe he's right, I'm not a good person."

"Danny, stop this, will ya?! What you felt was normal considering the circumstances. You were exhausted, under a lot of pressure and he did everything to break you. Don't let him win. You're a good person, you hear me? You're a devoted friend and one of the best agents I've ever known." Jack said, a hand rested on Danny's soulder, "Look, you're still under the shock, take all the time you need to recover and take care of Kate. When the both of you are better and if you still want to quit, I'll accept your resignation. It'll break my heart but I'll accept it" he added with a gentle smile.

"All right..." Danny replied, smiling back at him.

Jack handed him a card. "Look, I know you're not a big fan of shrinks but he's a really good one. He's used to dealing with post-traumatic stress."

Danny took the card, murmuring a thank you. The next few weeks were gonna be hard and any help would be welcome. Jach then hugged him friendly, they had overcome the wall between them.

Kate smiled when she saw Danny coming back into the room and her parents slipped away to give them some privacy. Danny sat down on the bed and intertwined his fingers with hers.

"I...ehm...I heard about the baby" Danny said.

Kate's face changed expression, she didn't know how Danny was going to react.

"Are you...happy?"

"If I'm happy? Oh yes I am honey, it's...woow...I'm gonna be a Daddy! It's great news...What about you? You..."

"Yes I am happy Danny"

They both started grinning, almost forgetting the hard two days they had gone through.

"You know, being a gentleman, I should marry you..."

"Is that a proposal?" Kate smiled.

"I always wanted to do my proposal in an original way. So, here I am, unshaven, uncombed and I don't even have a ring. Will you marry me?"

"Are you serious?"

"I've never been so serious in my entire life. I love you more than anything Kate and I want you to be my wife.

She threw herself in his arms and Danny took it for a 'yes'. He then kissed her softly and tenderly, a feeling of felicity coming over the both of them.

"Bring me back home" Kate whispered, burying her head in his neck.

_Two days later..._

Danny kissed Kate's tummy, circling his tongue around her navel causing her to giggle.

"Hey I felt it move!" Danny exclaimed as Kate laughed.

"Danny, it's too early, you can't feel the baby move yet..."

"I swear, I felt it!"

"All you felt was halting breathing because you're turning me on" Kate bit her bottom lip.

"Am I?" he asked with a sexy voice, lifting up his head to meet her eager lips.

"A lot..." she whispered into his mouth as they deepened the kiss, their tongues tangling as he lay on top of her, his forearms supporting his weight. After a long while, they eventually broke the kiss and Danny rolled off her, lying by her side, a huge grin on his lips. Two days ago, he was living a nightmare and now he was engaged, with a baby on the way. He knew now the value of time and he was gonna enjoy every second with the woman he loved.

FIN.

* * *

yeah, well, this is the end. I'd like to thank the ones who left me a review. That encouraged me a lot throughout this story, so THANK YOU guys 


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